stricture

noun

stric·​ture ˈstrik-chər How to pronounce stricture (audio)
1
a
: an abnormal narrowing of a bodily passage
also : the narrowed part
b
: a constriction of the breath passage in the production of a speech sound
2
: something that closely restrains or limits : restriction
moral strictures
3
: an adverse criticism : censure

Did you know?

Stricture has meant many things through the centuries, and its "restriction" meaning—probably the most common one today—is actually the most recent. High-school teachers often put strictures on texting during class. Cities concerned about their murder rate have slapped strictures on the possession of handguns. And the United Nations may vote to put strictures on arms sales to a country that keeps violating international treaties. With the meaning "strong criticism", stricture is slightly old-fashioned today, but it's still used by intellectuals. So, for example, an article may amount to a harsh stricture on the whole medical profession, or an art review may just express the critic's strictures on sentimental paintings of cute little houses with glowing windows.

Examples of stricture in a Sentence

the church's strictures on the morals and mores of contemporary society the new zoning strictures effectively make further development along the riverfront commercially unviable
Recent Examples on the Web The figures include Abigail Abbot Bailey, an eighteenth-century New Englander whose efforts to leave her abusive husband, Asa, were hindered not just by strictures against divorce but also by the prevailing attitudes toward conjugal desire. Rebecca Mead, The New Yorker, 26 Aug. 2024 Worse still, his father has imposed a firm stricture on his visit. Kathryn Schulz, The New Yorker, 9 Sep. 2024 Urinary complications: Some people may experience difficulties with urination, such as urinary retention, incontinence, or urethral stricture (narrowing of the urethra). Lindsay Curtis, Verywell Health, 23 July 2024 Part of the appeal of The Good Salad is the pricing stricture, allowing customers to delete a topping and receive a commensurate reduction in price. Linda Zavoral, The Mercury News, 12 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for stricture 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'stricture.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Late Latin strictura, from Latin strictus, past participle

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of stricture was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near stricture

Cite this Entry

“Stricture.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stricture. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

stricture

noun
stric·​ture ˈstrik-chər How to pronounce stricture (audio)
1
: an abnormal narrowing of a bodily passage
also : the narrowed part
2
: a negative criticism : censure

Medical Definition

stricture

noun
stric·​ture ˈstrik-chər How to pronounce stricture (audio)
: an abnormal narrowing of a bodily passage (as from inflammation, cancer, or the formation of scar tissue)
esophageal stricture
also : the narrowed part

More from Merriam-Webster on stricture

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