(transitive, intransitive) To draw together or nearer; to shorten, narrow, or lessen. / (grammar) To shorten by omitting a letter or letters or by reducing two or more vowels or syllables to one.

present participle of contract

Getting smaller; drawing itself together into a smaller area.

The act of something that contracts or shrinks; contraction. / Work done on a contract basis.

plural of contraction

Obsolete form of contractor.

plural of contracting

Capable of being contracted (in various senses).

Able to contract; contractile

(uncountable) The condition of being contractive. / (countable) The extent to which something is contractive.