contraction

American  

[kuhn-trak-shuhn] / kənˈtræk ʃən /

noun

1. an act or instance of contracting or the quality or state of being contracted.

   The contraction of the ship’s metal fastenings and consequent snapping of the wood caused cracking sounds during the cold night.

2. a shortened form of a word or group of words, with the omitted letters often replaced in written English by an apostrophe, as e'er for ever, isn't for is not, I'd for I would.

3. Physiology.

   1. the thickening and shortening of a muscle.

      Myosin is a protein in muscles, working together with actin to produce muscle contraction.

   2. one in an often rhythmic series of such muscular changes, especially in the wall of the uterus during labor.

      When I got to the hospital, my labor was in full force with only 10 seconds between contractions.

4. a restriction or withdrawal, as of currency or of funds available as call money.

5. a decrease in economic and industrial activity (expansion ).

   The contraction that became the Great Depression began in the United States and spread around the globe.

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contraction British  

/ kənˈtrækʃən /

noun

1. an instance of contracting or the state of being contracted

2. physiol any normal shortening or tensing of an organ or part, esp of a muscle, e.g. during childbirth

3. pathol any abnormal tightening or shrinking of an organ or part

4. a shortening of a word or group of words, often marked in written English by an apostrophe

   I've come for I have come

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contraction Scientific  

/ kən-trăk′shən /

1. The shortening and thickening of a muscle for the purpose of exerting force on or causing movement of a body part.

2. See more at muscle

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contraction Cultural  

1. A word produced by running two or more words together and leaving out some of the letters or sounds. For example, isn't is a contraction of is not.

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Usage

Contractions such as isn't, couldn't, can't, weren't, he'll, they're occur chiefly, although not exclusively, in informal speech and writing. They are common in personal letters, business letters, journalism, and fiction; they are rare in scientific and scholarly writing. Contractions occur in formal writing mainly as representations of speech.

Discover More

An apostrophe is generally used in contractions to show where letters or sounds have been left out.

Other Word Forms

• contractional adjective
• contractive adjective
• contractively adverb
• contractiveness noun
• noncontraction noun
• overcontraction noun
• recontraction noun

Etymology

Origin of contraction

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Old French, from Latin contractiōn-, stem of contractiō, equivalent to contract(us) “drawn together, restricted,” past participle of contrahere + -iōn- noun suffix; contract, -ion

Example Sentences

"When I got into the ambulance I started getting contractions, and I thought 'no'," Siobhan said.

From BBC

The number of jobs in the US economy fell last month, an unexpected contraction that has renewed questions about whether the labour market in the US might be starting to crack.

From BBC

"I found out I was pregnant on 7 January. I got contractions and went to the doctor."

From BBC

Economic growth in the eurozone was a little less than previously reported in the final quarter of last year, prompted by a larger-than-expected contraction in Ireland.

From The Wall Street Journal

There are no indication that the fleet-size contraction will stabilize as competition for drivers intensify, Chew says.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• decrease
• deflation
• recession
• reduction
• shrinkage