Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- noun A ringlike muscle that normally maintains constriction of a body passage or orifice and that relaxes as required by normal physiological functioning.
from The Century Dictionary.
- noun An orbicular, circular, or annular muscle surrounding and capable of closing a natural orifice or passage of the body.
- noun The sphincter ani proper, sphincter externus, or external sphincter is a thin, flat plane of voluntary muscular fibers supplied by hemorrhoidal branches of nerves from the sacral plexus, surrounding the anus, subcutaneous and intimately adherent to the integument, of elliptical form 3 or 4 inches in long diameter, and an inch wide across. It arises from the tip of the coccyx, and is inserted into the tendinous raphe of the perineum. Like most sphincters. it consists of symmetrical lateral halves united by a raphe in front of and behind the opening it incloses.
- noun The sphincter recti, sphincter internus, or internal sphincter surrounds the lower end of the rectum, forming a muscular ring about an inch in extent and a quarter of an inch thick, and consists of an aggregation and thickening of the circular fibers of the gut. This sphincter is involuntary, and in health maintains its tonic contractility, which yields by reflex action to the pressure of the contents of the bowel.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- adjective (Anat.) Of, pertaining to, or designating, a sphincter.
- noun (Anat.) A muscle which surrounds, and by its contraction tends to close, a natural opening.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun anatomy A
ringlike band ofmuscle that surrounds a bodily opening,constricting andrelaxing as required for normalphysiological functioning.
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- noun a ring of muscle that contracts to close an opening
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
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Examples
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My sphincter is technically precise too Michael. papasanchez
Michael Bay Says Post Production 3D Upconversion “Looks Like Fake 3D” | /Film 2010
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The cervix being a sphincter is built to let out cantelopes.
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As a leader of non-profit I have learned that Starbucks’ sphincter is so tight if they squeezed out a free coffee bean it would come out looking like a diamond.
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There is one test I REALLY hope they don't do - it is called the sphincter EMG nerve conduction test.
I'm abnormal (in my nerves), so now I'm interesting. Elizabeth McClung 2008
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I would say with Hillary the sphincter is a bit too tightly would for true Killer status!
"Hillary just seems like Jerry Lee Lewis to me. And McCain just seems like a complete wackjob. And I guess Obama seems to have some sort of sense..." Ann Althouse 2008
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There is one test I REALLY hope they don't do - it is called the sphincter EMG nerve conduction test.
Archive 2008-02-01 Elizabeth McClung 2008
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Your internal sphincter, which is directly behind it, is controlled by your autonomic nervous system and, like your heartbeat, works without your thinking about it.
The Straight Girl's Guide to Sleeping with Chicks Jen Sincero 2005
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Your internal sphincter, which is directly behind it, is controlled by your autonomic nervous system and, like your heartbeat, works without your thinking about it.
The Straight Girl's Guide to Sleeping with Chicks Jen Sincero 2005
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Your internal sphincter, which is directly behind it, is controlled by your autonomic nervous system and, like your heartbeat, works without your thinking about it.
The Straight Girl's Guide to Sleeping with Chicks Jen Sincero 2005
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This is called the lower esophageal sphincter, which is a thick ring of circular smooth muscle at the point between the esophagus and the stomach.
poonis commented on the word sphincter
"sphinctersayswhat"
July 8, 2008