Standard Lemma guide
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
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noun
A ringlike band of muscle that surrounds a bodily opening (such as the anus or the openings of the stomach), constricting and relaxing as required for normal physiological functioning.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: anatomy, medicine, sciences
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
a ring of muscle that contracts to close an opening
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: anatomical sphincter, sphincter muscle
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: muscle, musculus
Narrower terms: physiological sphincter, anal sphincter, sphincter ani, musculus sphincter ani, urethral sphincter, musculus sphincter urethrae, bladder sphincter, musculus sphincter vesicae, musculus sphincter ductus choledochi, musculus sphincter ductus pancreatici, pupillary sphincter, musculus sphincter pupillae, pyloric sphincter, pyloric valve, musculus sphincter pylori
History
Learned borrowing from Late Latin sphinctēr (“the muscle of the anus”), from Ancient Greek σφῐγκτήρ (sphĭnktḗr, “lace, band; contractile muscle”), ultimately of Pre-Greek origin. Possibly related to sphinx (“the strangler”).
Across languages
55 source translations are retained for this English entry.
