nouncontractūraCONTRACTVRA☆ KeepMeaninga lessening, contractingLewis & Short 1879ModernAs printed, 1879CONTRACTURALEWIS & SHORTCONTRACTURAcontractūra, ae, f. id.; lit. a drawing together; hence, t. t. in architecture, I. a lessening, contracting (of pillars), Vitr. 3, 3, 12; 5, 1, 3 al.Read the whole entry