sphincter

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“
Look, the sphincter is a muscle.

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Definitions (18)

Toggle American Heritage definitions American Heritage Dictionary (1)

  1. noun A ringlike muscle that normally maintains constriction of a body passage or orifice and that relaxes as required by normal physiological functioning.

Toggle Century definitions Century Dictionary (14)

Toggle GNU Webster definitions GNU Webster's 1913 (2)

Toggle WordNet definitions WordNet (1)

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Examples

  • I'm inclined to suspect (with some evidence, although it may be simplistic to draw conclusions from it) that there are very few atheists in prisons. —  The God Delusion
  • Sissy's sphincter was a tiny fist, pounding on the table of love. —  Even Cowgirls Get The Blues
  • And all I did was march up and down like a little lost lamb and only ever fired a dozen shots. —  Sharpe's Tiger
  • Look, the sphincter is a muscle. —  Neanderpundit
  • I said. —  Nine Princes In Amber
 

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Sphincter has been looked up 196 times, favorited 0 times, listed 22 times, and commented on once.

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Etymologies (2)

Toggle American Heritage etymologies American Heritage Dictionary (1)

  1. Late Latin sphinctēr, from Greek sphinktēr, from sphingein, to bind tight.

Toggle Century etymologies Century Dictionary (1)

  1. New Latin, from Latin sphincter, from Greek σφιγκτήρ, anything which binds tight, a lace, a band, from σφίγγειν, shut tight, close.
 

Pronunciations
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/ˈsfɪŋktər/
by American Heritage

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