strict

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin strictus, past participle of stringere (“to draw tight, bind, contract”). Doublet of strait and stretto. See stringent, strain.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /stɹɪkt/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɪkt

Adjective

strict (comparative stricter, superlative strictest)

1. Strained; drawn close; tight.

   strict embrace

   strict ligature

2. Tense; not relaxed.

   strict fiber

3. Exact; accurate; precise; rigorously particular.

   to keep strict watch

   to pay strict attention

4. Governed or governing by exact rules; observing exact rules; severe; rigorous.

   they are very strict in observing the Sabbath

   • 1904–1905, Baroness Orczy [i.e., Emma Orczy], “The Hocussing of Cigarette”, in The Case of Miss Elliott, London: T[homas] Fisher Unwin, published 1905, →OCLC; republished as popular edition, London: Greening & Co., 1909, OCLC 11192831, quoted in The Case of Miss Elliott (ebook no. 2000141h.html), Australia: Project Gutenberg of Australia, February 2020:

     No one, however, would have anything to do with him, as Mr. Keeson's orders in those respects were very strict ; he had often threatened any one of his employés with instant dismissal if he found him in company with one of these touts.

5. Rigidly interpreted; exactly limited; confined; restricted.

   to understand words in a strict sense

6. (botany) Upright, or straight and narrow; — said of the shape of the plants or their flower clusters.
7. Severe in discipline.

   Antonyms: lenient, lax, permissive

   Our teacher was always very strict. If we didn't behave, we would get punished.

   It was a very strict lesson.

8. (set theory, order theory) Irreflexive; if the described object is defined to be reflexive, that condition is overridden and replaced with irreflexive.

Usage notes

• Stricter and strictest are the grammatically correct forms for the comparative and superlative though outside the UK more strict and most strict are more often used.

Derived terms

Related terms

• stricture
• stringent
• strain

Translations

Further reading

• “strict”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
• “strict”, in The Century Dictionary , New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.

French

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin strictus, perfect participle of stringere (“to draw tight, bind, contract”). Doublet of étroit.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /stʁikt/

• audio

  (file)

Adjective

strict (feminine stricte, masculine plural stricts, feminine plural strictes)

1. strict

Derived terms

• strict minimum
• strictement

Further reading

• “strict”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé , 2012.

Romanian

Etymology

Borrowed from French strict, from Latin strictus. Doublet of strâmt, which was inherited.

Adjective

strict m or n (feminine singular strictă, masculine plural stricți, feminine and neuter plural stricte)

1. strict

Declension