contractile

[ kuhn-trak-tl, -til ]

adjective

1. capable of contracting or causing contraction.

contractile

/ ˌkɒntrækˈtɪlɪtɪ; kənˈtræktaɪl /

adjective

1. having the power to contract or to cause contraction

Derived Forms

• contractility, noun

Other Words From

• con·trac·til·i·ty [kon-trak-, til, -i-tee], noun
• un·con·trac·tile adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of contractile¹

First recorded in 1700–10; contract + -ile

Example Sentences

"We linked each property to different contractile mechanisms and asked how they are connected to cancer cell escape and tumor aggressiveness."

From Science Daily

The model also predicted how another type of contractile fiber could be targeted by the experimental Src inhibitor WH4023, which they experimentally validated with human cardiac fibroblasts.

From Science Daily

"We aimed to clarify the association of phase angle obtained from the leg using BIA with voluntary muscle strength, twitch contractile properties, and neuromuscular activity," says Assistant Prof. Hirata.

From Science Daily

The research team found that some of the proteins in the muscle cells act as a temperature sensor, and that heating affects skeletal and cardiac contractile systems differently.

From Science Daily

In a paper published today in Nature, researchers report refashioning Photorhabdus’s syringe—called a contractile injection system—so that it can attach to human cells and inject large proteins into them.

From Scientific American