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astringent: Meaning and Definition of
as•trin•gent
Pronunciation: (u-strin'junt), [key] — adj.
- contracting; constrictive; styptic.
- harshly biting; caustic: his astringent criticism.
- stern or severe; austere.
- sharply incisive; pungent: astringent wit.
—n. - a substance that contracts the tissues or canals of the body, thereby diminishing discharges, as of mucus or blood.
- a cosmetic that cleans the skin and constricts the pores.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.