	Site Map \| FAQ in Daily Almanac for Feb 15, 2012
Skip Navigation Home Black History Month Atlas Encyclopedia Dictionary Thesaurus Features Quizzes Timelines Countries

Fact Monster Kid's reference,
games, quizzes

Editor's Favorites

| Share

Dictionary

con•trac•tion

Pronunciation: (kun-trak'shun), [key]
—n.
1. an act or instance of contracting.
2. the quality or state of being contracted.
3. a shortened form of a word or group of words, with the omitted letters often replaced in written English by an apostrophe, as e'er for ever, isn't for is not, dep't for department.
4. Physiol.the change in a muscle by which it becomes thickened and shortened.
5. a restriction or withdrawal, as of currency or of funds available as call money.
6. a decrease in economic and industrial activity (opposed to expansion).

contractile vacuole

contraction joint

See also:

contraction (Thesaurus)

Dictionary

con•trac•tion

Related Content