SPHINCTER Meaning and
Definition
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A sphincter is a circular band of muscle that contracts and relaxes, typically found in the body's orifices and passages, acting as a valve or opening regulator. It forms a ring-like structure and is responsible for controlling the opening and closing of various bodily passages and organs.
One of the most well-known sphincters is the anal sphincter, located at the end of the rectum. It controls the release of feces from the body by contracting to close the opening and relaxing to allow for excretion. Similarly, the urethral sphincter helps regulate the flow of urine from the bladder by contracting to hold it in and relaxing to release it.
There are also sphincters in other parts of the body such as the esophagus, which regulates the entrance of food into the stomach, and the pyloric sphincter, found at the end of the stomach, which controls the passage of food into the small intestine.
Sphincters are vital for maintaining bodily functions and preventing involuntary release or passage of substances. Dysfunction or abnormalities of sphincters can lead to various medical conditions, such as incontinence, where the inability to control sphincter muscle movement results in unintended release or leakage of bodily waste.
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An orbicular muscle which serves, when in a state of normal contraction, to close one of the orifices of the body.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
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In anat., a muscle that contracts or shuts an orifice or opening which it surrounds.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
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Etymology of SPHINCTER
The word "sphincter" comes from the Greek word "sphinktēr" (σφιγκτήρ), which means "that which binds tightly" or "a band that encircles". The Greek term itself is derived from the verb "sphinggein" (σφίγγειν), meaning "to squeeze" or "to bind tightly".
Similar spelling words for SPHINCTER
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