Dictionary

procrustean en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio
• /pɹəʊˈkɹʌsti.ən/ (UK)

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *per-der.? Proto-Indo-European *per-der.? Proto-Indo-European *pér Proto-Indo-European *-o Proto-Indo-European *próder. Ancient Greek πρό (pró) Ancient Greek προ- Proto-Indo-European *krows- Ancient Greek κρούω Ancient Greek προκρούω (prokroúō) Ancient Greek -άζω (-ázō)influ. Proto-Indo-European *-tósder. Ancient Greek -της (-tēs) Proto-Hellenic *-tās Ancient Greek -τής (-tḗs) Ancient Greek -στης (-stēs) Ancient Greek Προκρούστης (Prokroústēs)bor. English Procrustes Proto-Indo-European *-nós Proto-Italic *-nos Proto-Italic *-ānos Latin -ānus Old French -ainder. Middle English -an English -an English procrustean From Procrustes + -an.

Meanings

1. Enforcing strict conformity through disregard of individual differences or special circumstances.
   • The concept of an Age of Nationalism is a bit procrustean. 2011, Steven Pinker, The Better Angels of Our Nature, Penguin, published 2012, page 287:
   • The object in choosing the political capital is average nearness of approach from the various confines of the State; but commerce submits to no such Procrustean laws in selecting her capitals, and consequently she has placed Detroit on the borders of Michigan, […] 1862, Anthony Trollope, chapter IX, in North America. […], volume I, London: Chapman & Hall, […], →OCLC:

Forms

Deriveds

Procrustean assignment · procrusteanize · procrustean bed

Relateds

ergonomic · one-size-fits-all

Translations (3)

pl prokrustowy (Enforcing strict conformity through disregard of individual differences or special circumstances) · hy պրոկրուստյան (Enforcing strict conformity through disregard of individual differences or special circumstances) · es procústeo (Enforcing strict conformity through disregard of individual differences or special circumstances)