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 Russian connection will likely continue to grow as long as the west maintains the strictures on Russian trade put in place over the Ukraine invasion. Milton Ezrati, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2024 Working in publishing was another way to live, happily, outside the strictures of her time. Hillary Kelly, The New Yorker, 21 Feb. 2024 As a relatively new medium webtoons have escaped some of the strictures of Japan’s manga business or the cartoon industry in other countries. Patrick Frater, Variety, 24 Jan. 2024 Textile art, whose practitioners were exempted from the ideological strictures of painting or literature. Jason Farago, New York Times, 11 Jan. 2024 But as recent retirees, Ms. Curran, Ms. Stojanov and Ms. Hotchkin are under no similar strictures. Tracey Tully Hannah Yoon, New York Times, 4 Dec. 2023 This set should thrill fans of natural wine and fuel many a vinous debate over the nature of terroir and the strictures of convention. Dave McIntyre, Washington Post, 25 Nov. 2023 Who but a child would accept the strictures of life with Elvis? Molly Fischer, The New Yorker, 13 Nov. 2023 In tart scenes poking at doctor consultations, psychiatric sessions and legal snafus — the institutional hoops where binary, normative strictures are most assertive — Preciado dexterously implies these gauntlets push life’s fictions. Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 17 Nov. 2023

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 19 Mar. 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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