What it means
Used for anything in the body that gets wider. Pupils dilate in the dark, blood vessels dilate to let more blood through (vasodilation), and the cervix dilates during labor from closed to 10 centimeters. Eye drops can dilate the pupils for an eye exam.
At a glance
| Spanish | dilatar |
|---|---|
| Also written | dilates, dilated, dilating |
Related terms
dilation
The widening or opening up of a body part, such as the cervix during labor, the pupils or a blood vessel.
vasodilation
The widening of blood vessels as the muscle in their walls relaxes, which lets more blood flow through.
accommodation
The eye's ability to change its focus from distant objects to near ones.