constrictor

C3O1N1S1T1R1I1C3T1O1R1
UK/kənˈstɹɪk.tə/Canada, US/kənˈstɹɪk.tɚ/

noun

A muscle whose contraction narrows a vessel or passage or compresses an organ.

OriginEnglish constrict ← Latin cōnstrictus ← New Latin cōnstrictor →
UncommonScrabble 15
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Meanings

nounconstrictor (plural constrictors or constrictores)

plural constrictors · plural constrictores

  1. That which constricts or tightens:
    1. anatomyA muscle whose contraction narrows a vessel or passage or compresses an organ.
    2. abbreviationellipsisanatomyEllipsis of pharyngeal constrictor (“each of the muscles which constrict the pharynx”).
    3. abbreviationellipsisEllipsis of boa constrictor, either the species Boa constrictor or a similar snake that kills by constriction.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*ḱe?
  2. Proto-Indo-European*ḱóm
  3. Proto-Italic*kom
  4. Proto-Italic*kom-
  5. Latincōn-
  6. Proto-Indo-European*streyg-
  7. Proto-Indo-European*strinégti
  8. Proto-Italic*stringō
  9. Proto-Indo-European*strengʰ-
  10. Proto-Indo-European*stréngʰeti
  11. Proto-Italic*strengō
  12. Latinstringō
  13. Latincōnstringō
  14. New Latincōnstrictor
  15. Latincōnstringō
  16. Latincōnstrictus
  17. Englishconstrict
  18. Englishconstrictor

Borrowed from New Latin cōnstrictor, or from constrict + -or.

More words from New Latin

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Catalan constrictor
  • constrictorthat which constricts or tightens
Finnish kuristaja, kiristäjä
  • kuristajathat which constricts or tightens
  • kiristäjäthat which constricts or tightens

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with constrictor

victorfictorinflicterlictor
All rhymes →
Cite this entry
APA

constrictor. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/constrictor

MLA

“constrictor.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/constrictor. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “constrictor,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/constrictor.

Source: constrictor on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.