to expand or be expanded by or as if by pressure from within; swell; inflate
2. (transitive)
to stretch out or extend
3. (transitive)
to magnify in importance; exaggerate
Derived forms
distender (disˈtender)
noun
distensible (disˈtensible)
adjective
distensibility (disˌtensiˈbility)
noun
distension (disˈtension) or distention (disˈtention)
noun
Word origin
C14: from Latin distendere, from dis-1 + tendere to stretch
distensile in American English
(dɪˈstensɪl)
adjective
1.
distensible
2.
serving to distend
Word origin
[1730–40; ‹ L distēns(us) (ptp. of distendere to distend) + -ile]This word is first recorded in the period 1730–40. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: chenille, humbug, maximum, optimism, swipe-ile is a suffix of adjectives expressing capability, susceptibility, liability, aptitude,etc. Other words that use the affix -ile include: gentile, hostile, imbecile, juvenile, senile