Restriction

How to spell restriction

11 letters · 3 syllables

How to pronounce restriction

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does restriction mean?

1. nounA rule or condition that limits what someone may do or how something may be used.

Restriction in a sentence

• The new parking restriction near the office begins on Monday.

• There is a strict restriction on how much luggage each passenger may carry.

Where does restriction come from?

Language of origin: Latin

This word descends from the Latin restrictio, a noun formed from restringere, meaning 'to bind back' or 'to draw tightly'. The root verb stringere literally meant 'to pull tight' or 'to bind', the same root that gives us 'strict', 'stringent', and even 'strain'. The prefix re- here adds a sense of holding back, so the whole idea is of something pulled tight to keep it within bounds. English took the word from Old French restriction in the late 1300s, and it has carried the steady meaning of a limit or control ever since. Remembering that the middle holds the same 'strict' you already spell elsewhere helps fix the awkward -ction ending.

How the word is built

• re- (back)
• strict (from stringere: to bind or draw tight)
• -ion (noun of action)