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DictionaryRoot: stringere
Latin

stringere

draw tight, bind, or press

Forms

  • stringere
  • strict- — The changed form used for completed action.

Origin

From an older Indo-European family associated with tightening or binding.

Note

Tightness can become severity, limitation, or close control.

5 / 5
noun

strait

STRAYT/streɪt/

A narrow waterway connecting two larger bodies of water.

The narrow strait connects the broad waters on either side of the land masses.

A narrow blue water passage lies between two land masses and connects two broad bodies of water, simple overhead ink map.
Etymology
straitLatindraw tight, bind, or press

The verb’s participle meant “drawn tight,” which led to the idea of narrowness. A strait was a confined space or passage, then specifically a narrow water passage connecting larger bodies.

In context

The Full History Documentary16:24
Any vessel attempting to pass through the strait without permission would be forced to navigate a deadly kill zone
Fall of Constantinople Full History Documentary: How the Ottoman Empire Destroyed Byzantium

More examples

  • Strong currents make the strait difficult to cross.
  • A bridge spans the strait between the island and the mainland.
  • The map shows several straits connecting these coastal waters.

Forms

strait · straits

Similar words

channel
A broader term for a water passage or navigable route.
sound
Often a wider passage between an island and the mainland.