Definitions for contraction
kənˈtræk ʃəncon·trac·tion

Princeton's WordNet(5.00 / 2 votes)Rate this definition:

1. contraction, muscular contraction, muscle contractionnoun

   (physiology) a shortening or tensing of a part or organ (especially of a muscle or muscle fiber)

2. compression, condensation, contractionnoun

   the process or result of becoming smaller or pressed together

   "the contraction of a gas on cooling"

3. contractionnoun

   a word formed from two or more words by omitting or combining some sounds

   "`won't' is a contraction of `will not'"; "`o'clock' is a contraction of `of the clock'"

4. contractionnoun

   the act of decreasing (something) in size or volume or quantity or scope

Wiktionary(2.00 / 2 votes)Rate this definition:

1. contractionnoun

   A reversible reduction in size.

2. contractionnoun

   A period of economic decline or negative growth.

   The country's economic contraction was caused by high oil prices.

3. contractionnoun

   A shortening of a muscle when it is used.

4. contractionnoun

   A strong and often painful shortening of the uterine muscles prior to or during childbirth.

5. contractionnoun

   A shortened word or phrase, with the missing letters represented by an apostrophe.

6. contractionnoun

   Contracting a disease.

   The contraction of AIDS from toilet seats is extremely rare.

7. contractionnoun

   Syncope, the loss of sounds from within a word.

8. contractionnoun

   The acquisition of something, generally negative.

   Our contraction of debt in this quarter has reduced our ability to attract investors.

9. contractionnoun

   A distinct stage of wound healing, wherein the wound edges are gradually pulled together.

10. Etymology: From contractio.

Samuel Johnson's Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Contractionnoun

   Etymology: contractio, Latin.

   1. The act of contracting or shortening.

   The main parts of the poem, such as the fable and sentiments, no translator can prejudice but by omissions or contractions. Alexander Pope, Essay on Homer.

   2. The act of shrinking or shriveling.

   Oil of vitriol will throw the stomach into involuntary contractions. John Arbuthnot, on Aliments.

   3. The state of being contracted, or drawn into a narrow compass.

   Some things induce a contraction in the nerves, placed in the mouth of the stomach, which is a great cause of appetite. Francis Bacon.

   Comparing the quantity of contraction and dilatation made by all the degrees of each colour, I found it greatest in the red. Isaac Newton, Opt.

   4. [In grammar.] The reduction of two vowels or syllables to one.5. Any thing in its state of abbreviation or contraction; as, the writing is full of contractions.

Webster Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Contractionnoun

   the act or process of contracting, shortening, or shrinking; the state of being contracted; as, contraction of the heart, of the pupil of the eye, or of a tendion; the contraction produced by cold

2. Contractionnoun

   the process of shortening an operation

3. Contractionnoun

   the act of incurring or becoming subject to, as liabilities, obligation, debts, etc.; the process of becoming subject to; as, the contraction of a disease

4. Contractionnoun

   something contracted or abbreviated, as a word or phrase; -- as, plenipo for plenipotentiary; crim. con. for criminal conversation, etc

5. Contractionnoun

   the shortening of a word, or of two words, by the omission of a letter or letters, or by reducing two or more vowels or syllables to one; as, ne'er for never; can't for can not; don't for do not; it's for it is

6. Contractionnoun

   a marriage contract

7. Etymology: [L. contractio: cf. F. contraction.]

Freebase(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Contraction

   A contraction is a shortened version of the written and spoken forms of a word, syllable, or word group, created by omission of internal letters. In traditional grammar, contraction can denote the formation of a new word from one word or a group of words, for example, by elision. This often occurs in rendering a common sequence of words or, as in French, in maintaining a flowing sound. In strict analysis, contractions should not be confused with abbreviations or acronyms, with which they share some semantic and phonetic functions, though all three are connoted by the term "abbreviation" in loose parlance. Contraction is also distinguished from clipping, where beginnings and endings are omitted.

Matched Categories

1. • Decrease
   • Shrinkage
   • Word

How to pronounce contraction?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say contraction in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of contraction in Chaldean Numerology is: 6

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of contraction in Pythagorean Numerology is: 6

Examples of contraction in a Sentence

1. Total Chief Executive Patrick Pouyanne:

   Non-OPEC supply will contract... by mid-2016 we should see contraction in U.S production according to what we understand.

2. Alexandre Baradez:

   It comes right after China's disappointing PMI figures showing that manufacturing activity is getting dangerously close to contraction, China's central bank is now following the path of the Fed, the ECB and the BoJ. Central banks are really driving markets.

3. Jeffrey Gundlach:

   The U.S. trade data points to economic contraction.

4. Amy George:

   Lots of times, people aren’t doing Kegels properly—they may be contracting their glutes or thighs or abdominals instead of it being a focused contraction of pelvic floor.

5. Zhengsheng Zhong:

   All of the index categories showed signs of deterioration, with employment falling back into contraction territory after three consecutive months of growth.

Popularity rank by frequency of use