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Sep 2, 2005

This week's theme
Words related to medicine

This week's words
rhinorrhea
alexiteric
atretic
fomites
styptic

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Terms having origins in New York

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styptic

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 stops bleeding of minor cuts.

[From Late Latin stypticus, from Greek stupikos, from stuphein, (to contract).]

See more usage examples of styptic in Vocabulary.com's dictionary.

"'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.

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