adjective
- able to contract or become smaller; capable of shrinking
Usage: biology; medicine
Examples
- Heart muscle is highly contractile tissue.
- The contractile proteins in muscle fibers enable movement.
- Smooth muscle has contractile properties that help regulate blood flow.
- The contractile vacuole in some cells helps maintain water balance.
- Contractile elements in the cell wall respond to pressure changes.
- The balloon’s contractile material allowed it to shrink when cooled.