strait
[ streyt ]
/ streɪt /
noun
Often straits. (used with a singular verb)
a narrow passage of water connecting two large bodies of water.
Often straits.
a position of difficulty, distress, or need: Ill and penniless, he was in sad straits indeed.
Archaic.
a narrow passage or area.
an isthmus.
adjective Archaic.
Origin of strait
1150–1200; Middle English
streit < Old French
estreit < Latin
strictus past participle of
stringere to bind; see
strain1
SYNONYMS FOR strait
OTHER WORDS FROM strait
strait·ly, adverb strait·ness, nounWORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH strait
straight straitWords nearby strait
Example sentences from the Web for strait
British Dictionary definitions for strait
strait
/ (streɪt) /
noun
(often plural)
- a narrow channel of the sea linking two larger areas of sea
- (capital as part of a name)the Strait of Gibraltar
(often plural)
a position of acute difficulty (often in the phrase in dire or desperate straits)
archaic
a narrow place or passage
adjective archaic
(of spaces, etc) affording little room
(of circumstances, etc) limiting or difficult
severe, strict, or scrupulous
Derived forms of strait
straitly, adverb straitness, nounWord Origin for strait
C13: from Old French
estreit narrow, from Latin
strictus constricted, from
stringere to bind tightly
Medical definitions for strait
strait
[ strāt ]
n.
A narrow passage, such as the upper or lower opening of the pelvic canal.
Scientific definitions for strait
strait
[ strāt ]
A narrow waterway joining two larger bodies of water. The Strait of Gibraltar, for example, connects the Mediterranean Sea with the Atlantic Ocean.