stricture

[strik-cher]

noun

1. a remark or comment, especially an adverse criticism.

   The reviewer made several strictures upon the author's style.

2. an abnormal contraction of any passage or duct of the body.

3. Phonetics.,  a constriction of airflow in the vocal tract in the production of speech.

4. a restriction.

5. Archaic.,  the act of enclosing or binding tightly.

6. Obsolete.,  strictness.

stricture

/ ˈstrɪktʃə /

noun

1. a severe criticism; censure

2. pathol an abnormal constriction of a tubular organ, structure, or part

3. obsolete,  severity

Other Word Forms

• strictured adjective
• nonstrictured adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of stricture¹

1350–1400; Middle English < Late Latin strictūra tightening, equivalent to Latin strict ( us ) ( strict ) + -ūra -ure

Word History and Origins

Origin of stricture¹

C14: from Latin strictūra contraction; see _strict

Example Sentences

They may simply be buying time in the expectation that a succeeding president will reverse the strictures he has imposed.

From Los Angeles Times

Set in the idyllic island of Naxos, Greece, Pochoda refashions Euripides’ “The Bacchae” to weave a hypnotic tale of recently widowed Lena, breaking free from the strictures imposed by the men in her life.

From Los Angeles Times

You wanted to protect music from the strictures of school.

From Los Angeles Times

The cast embodies such clearly defined horror character tropes that the film’s context reinforces systemic strictures, sending it a dozen steps backward from the “Fear Street” trilogy.

From Salon

Mina’s father flouted strictures; Sade’s mother subjugated herself to them — that is, until Sade went to jail on a serious felony and compassion for her daughter awakened her long-dormant maternal loyalty.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• restraint