Medicine Tending to draw together or constrict tissues; styptic.
Sharp and penetrating; pungent or severe: astringent remarks.
n.
A substance or preparation, such as alum, that draws together or constricts body tissues and is effective in stopping the flow of blood or other secretions.
[Latin astringēns, astringent-, present participle of astringere, to bind fast : ad-, ad- + stringere, to bind; see streig- in Indo-European roots.]
astringentAudio Help (ə-strĭn'jənt) Pronunciation Key
A substance or preparation, such as alum, that draws together or constricts body tissues, resulting in decreased flow of blood or other secretions.
As*trin"gent\ (-jent), a. [L. astringens, p. pr. of astringere: cf. F. astringent. See Astringe.]1. Drawing together the tissues; binding; contracting; -- opposed to laxative; as, astringent medicines; a butter and astringent taste; astringent fruit. 2. Stern; austere; as, an astringent type of virtue.