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adj. 1. Medicine Tending to draw together or constrict tissues; styptic. 2. Sharp and penetrating; pungent or severe: astringent remarks. n. A substance or preparation, such as alum, that draws together or constricts body tissues and is effective in stopping the flow of blood or other secretions. [Latin astringēns, astringent-, present participle of astringere, to bind fast : ad-, ad- + stringere, to bind; see streig- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.] as·tringen·cy n. as·tringent·ly adv. |
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