constraint

Hello, you have come here looking for the meaning of the word constraint. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word constraint, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say constraint in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word constraint you have here. The definition of the word constraint will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition ofconstraint, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.

English

WOTD – 10 January 2016

Etymology

From Middle English constreynt, constreynte, from Old French constreinte, past participle of constreindre (“to constrain”), from Latin cōnstringō (corresponding to the past participle cōnstrictus).

Pronunciation

Noun

constraint (countable and uncountable, plural constraints)

  1. Something that constrains; a restriction.
    Coordinate term: problem
    An engineer must recognize the difference between a constraint (to work within) and a problem (to be eliminated via resolution).
  2. An irresistible force or compulsion.
    They confessed, but only under severe constraint.
  3. The repression of one's feelings.
    (Can we add an example for this sense?)
  4. (mathematics) A condition that a solution to an optimization problem must satisfy.
  5. (databases) A linkage or other restriction that maintains database integrity.

Derived terms

Translations

Further reading

Anagrams

Wikious
Boobota
Sagapedia