systole
Americannoun
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Physiology. the normal rhythmical contraction of the heart, during which the blood in the chambers is forced onward.
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Classical Prosody. the shortening of a syllable regularly long.
noun
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The period during the normal beating of the heart in which the chambers of the heart, especially the ventricles, contract to force blood into the aorta and pulmonary artery.
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Compare diastole
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of systole
1570–80; < Greek systolḗ a drawing up, contraction, equivalent to sy- sy- + stolḗ pressure, originally, garment, equipment, equivalent to stol- (noun derivative of stéllein to send, place) + -ē feminine noun suffix; cf. diastole, systaltic
Explanation
During a heartbeat, the heart contracts and pumps blood into the aorta, a phase known as systole. In Greek, systole means "a drawing together or contraction." The rhythmic, repeated contraction of the heart muscle during systole is what allows it to push blood throughout the body. It's also part of what gets measured when you have your blood pressure taken: systolic blood pressure measures the force of the blood as it's being pumped into your arteries.
Vocabulary lists containing systole
Vocabulary from Readings 4, Unit 1
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
During systole, the volunteers perceived time duration to be shorter than it actually was.
From Scientific American • Jun. 22, 2023
The blood pressure of the systole phase and the diastole phase gives the two pressure readings for blood pressure.
From Textbooks • Jun. 9, 2022
During systole, blood enters the arteries, and the artery walls stretch to accommodate the extra blood.
From Textbooks • Jun. 9, 2022
For example, 120/80 indicates a reading of 120 mm Hg during the systole and 80 mm Hg during diastole.
From Textbooks • Jun. 9, 2022
The truth is that there are two movements,—a systole and diastole of the spiritual life,—an expansion and a concentration.
From Christian Mysticism by Inge, William Ralph
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
