contractile

adjective

con·​trac·​tile kən-ˈtrak-tᵊl How to pronounce contractile (audio)
-ˌtī(-ə)l
: having or concerned with the power or property of contracting
contractile proteins of muscle fibrils
contractility
ˌkän-ˌtrak-ˈti-lə-tē How to pronounce contractile (audio)
noun

Examples of contractile in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Sacromeres are made up of fibers called contractile proteins. — Alexa Tucker, SELF, 19 Aug. 2018 Sarcoplasmic hypertrophy is an increase in muscle size due to an increase in sarcoplasm, the non-contractile material in muscle cells. — Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 12 Oct. 2022 Importantly, the chemical brain and contractile network hypotheses aren’t mutually exclusive. — Cara Giovanetti, Scientific American, 4 Jan. 2024 By limiting the strength of the SMP that bridges neighboring robots, the contractile forces generated during heating is not strong enough to cause folding, resulting in the SMP pulling itself apart instead which detaches the robots from each other. — IEEE Spectrum, 26 Oct. 2016

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from New Latin contractilis, from Latin contrac-, variant stem of contrahere "to draw together, reduce in size" + -tilis "characterized by (the action of the verb)" — more at contract entry 2

First Known Use

circa 1706, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of contractile was circa 1706

Phrases Containing contractile

Browse Nearby Words

contract grade
contractile
contractile cell
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Contractile.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/contractile. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

contractile

adjective
con·​trac·​tile kən-ˈtrak-tᵊl How to pronounce contractile (audio)
-ˌtīl
: having the power or property of contracting
a contractile cell
a contractile fiber
contractility
ˌkän-ˌtrak-ˈtil-ət-ē How to pronounce contractile (audio)
noun

Medical Definition

contractile

adjective
con·​trac·​tile kən-ˈtrak-tᵊl, -ˌtīl How to pronounce contractile (audio)
: having or concerned with the power or property of contracting
contractile proteins of muscle fibrils
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