Dilation Meaning: Definition, Examples, and Translations
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dilation
[daɪˈleɪʃən ]
Definitions
medical
The action or condition of becoming or being made wider, larger, or more open.
Synonyms
enlargement, expansion, stretching.
Which Synonym Should You Choose?
| Word | Description / Examples |
|---|---|
| dilation |
Medical or scientific scenarios, often referring to the widening or opening of an organ, blood vessel, or pupil.
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Examples of usage
- The dilation of the pupil in response to darkness.
- Dilation of the cervix during childbirth is a natural process.
- The doctor prescribed eye drops to help with pupil dilation.
- The dilation of blood vessels can lead to increased blood flow.
- Muscle dilation is a common response to exercise.
mathematics
A transformation that changes the size of a figure, but not its shape.
Synonyms
proportional change, resizing, scaling.
Which Synonym Should You Choose?
| Word | Description / Examples |
|---|---|
| dilation |
Used mostly in medical or physiological contexts, often referring to the expansion or widening of body parts.
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Examples of usage
- The dilation of a square by a scale factor of 2 results in a larger square.
- In geometry, dilations are used to create similar figures.
- The concept of dilation is important in studying transformations.
- A dilation can either enlarge or reduce the size of a shape.
- The coordinates of a figure are changed during a dilation.
Translations
To see the translation, please select a language from the options available.
Interesting Facts
Science
- In medicine, dilation refers to the process where blood vessels widen, increasing blood flow.
- Pupillary dilation occurs in low light to let more light into the eye, allowing better vision.
- Temperature can cause dilation in materials; for example, when metals heat up, they expand.
Mathematics
- In geometry, dilation refers to a transformation that creates a scaled version of a shape, enlarging or reducing it.
- The concept of dilation can be illustrated through similar triangles, which maintain proportion while changing size.
Cultural References
- In film and literature, dilation can symbolize emotional growth or change as characters experience new perspectives.
- The idea of 'time dilation' is popular in science fiction, where time can appear to slow down or speed up under certain conditions.
Psychology
- Dilation is sometimes linked to emotional responses; for instance, pupils dilate when a person is excited or attracted to someone.
- In therapeutic settings, practitioners often discuss mental dilation as broadening one's mindset to embrace new ideas or challenges.
Origin of 'dilation'
Main points about word origin
- Derived from the Latin word 'dilatatio,' meaning 'to spread out' or 'to enlarge.'
- The term has been used scientifically since the early 19th century to describe changes in size.
The word 'dilation' originated from the Latin word 'dilatare', which means 'to enlarge or expand'. It has been used in various fields such as medicine, mathematics, and physics. The concept of dilation has been studied extensively in geometry and is an important transformation used in creating similar figures. In medicine, dilation refers to the process of expanding or enlarging a part of the body. Overall, 'dilation' has a rich history and continues to be a significant term in different areas of study.