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peristaltic
Variant of peristalsis
noun pl. peristalses
the rhythmic, wavelike motion of the walls of the alimentary canal and certain other hollow organs, consisting of alternate contractions and dilations of transverse and longitudinal muscles that move the contents of the tube onward
Related Forms:
- peristaltic adjective
- peristaltically adverb
Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2010 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
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