styptic (STIP-tik) adjective
1. Able to check bleeding, whether by contracting the tissues
or by promoting clotting.
2. Tending to contract organic tissues.
noun
A substance that stop bleeding of minor cuts.
[From Late Latin stypticus, from Greek stupikos, from stuphein,
(to contract).]
Today's word in Visual Thesaurus: http://visualthesaurus.com/?w1=styptic
"'I'm looking for a styptic pencil for an elderly guest,' Tom explained.
The styptic pencil - used to stave off minor bleeding - was not to be
found but Tom was delighted to come across some Burma Shave, left on the
shelf from a bygone age."
Bruce Bellingham; Kindness of Strangers; San Francisco Examiner;
Dec 2, 2003.
This week's theme: words related to medicine.
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Pronunciation:
http://wordsmith.org/words/styptic.wav
http://wordsmith.org/words/styptic.ram
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