WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
di•la•tion
(dī lā′shən, di-),USA pronunciation n.
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026- the act of dilating;
state of being dilated. - Mechanicsdilatation.
- dilate + -ion 1590–1600
di•late /daɪˈleɪt, ˈdaɪleɪt/USA pronunciation
v., -lat•ed, -lat•ing.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- to (cause to) become wider, larger, or expanded: [no object]The cat's eyes dilated in the darkness.[~ + object]The medicine will dilate the blood vessels.
di•late
(dī lāt′, di-, dī′lāt),USA pronunciation v., -lat•ed, -lat•ing.
v.t.
v.i.
di•lat′a•bil′i•ty, n.
di•lat′a•ble, adj.
v.t.
- to make wider or larger;
cause to expand. - [Archaic.]to describe or develop at length.
v.i.
- to spread out;
expand. - to speak or write at length;
expatiate (often fol. by on or upon).
- Middle French dilater, Latin dīlātāre to spread out, equivalent. to dī- di-2 + lāt(us) broad + -āre infinitive suffix
- Middle English dilaten 1350–1400
di•lat′a•ble, adj.
- 1. See expand.
'dilation' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
alveolus
- aneurysm
- bronchiectasis
- bronchodilator
- D and C
- headache
- kinin
- plethora
- telangiectasis
- translate
- air sac
- alpha receptor
- diastole
- dilatation
- extension
- false labor
- histamine
- hydronephrosis
- pouch
- varix
- sacculate
- self-dilation
- systaltic