Dictionary

styptic en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• /ˈstɪptɪk/
• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Latin stypticus, itself borrowed from Ancient Greek στυπτικός (stuptikós), from στύφω (stúphō, “to contract”).

Meanings

1. Bringing about contraction of tissues; harsh, raw, austere.
   • Boyles turns to look over his shoulder, squinting into the styptic sun, and then flags a hand over his head. 1982, TC Boyle, Water Music, Penguin, published 2006, page 328:
2. (broadly) That stops bleeding; especially, in a minor way, topically.
   • The growth on top was a scrubby plant, unknown anywhere else on Malta, which was believed to have styptic qualities – it could staunch bleeding when packed on top of a wound […]. 1973, Nicholas Monsarrat, The Kapillan of Malta:
   • But I waited while he dabbed at the cut with styptic powder. 1959, Daniel Keyes, Flowers for Algernon:

Forms

Deriveds

xylostyptic · hemostyptic · styptic tree · styptic pencil

Hypernyms

hemostatic

styptic en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˈstɪptɪk/
• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Latin stypticus, itself borrowed from Ancient Greek στυπτικός (stuptikós), from στύφω (stúphō, “to contract”).

Meanings

1. A substance used for styptic results.
   • The powdered gum with resin is used as a styptic; and the mucilage has been recommended as an application to burns. 1876, Henry Beasley, The Book of Prescriptions:
   • Externally, it is applied as a styptic, and in solution, of various strengths, as an astringent. 1889, John Barclay Biddle, Materia Medica and Therapeutics: For Physicians and Students:
   • Knowledge of puffball's use as a styptic and for hemorrhoids reached Bass through the popular tradition. 1990, A. L. Tommie Bass et al., Herbal Medicine Past and Present:

Forms

Coordinates

coagulant