restriction
UK[rɪˈstrɪkʃn]US[rɪˈstrɪkʃn]
n
a rule or law that limits or controls what people can do
n
the act of limiting or controlling someone or something
Morpheme Breakdown
re
strict
ion
re
again, back
strict
tight, narrow
ion
noun suffix
Etymology
The word 'restriction' originates from the Latin verb restringere, meaning "to bind back, confine, or limit." This verb itself is composed of the prefix re- (back, again) and stringere (to draw tight, bind). The past participle strictus gave rise to the English morpheme 'strict,' carrying the core sense of tightness and narrow constraint. Over time, the noun-forming suffix -ion was added, shifting the focus from the action of binding to the resulting state or rule, thus evolving the literal idea of physical binding into the modern abstract concept of a limiting condition or regulation.
Analysis
Structure: re (again, back) + strict (tight, narrow) + ion (noun suffix)
- re: Latin prefix meaning "again, back, against."
- strict: From Latin strictus (drawn tight, compressed), a substring of the English spelling.
- ion: Latin suffix forming nouns denoting action or condition.
Examples
The government imposed new travel restrictions during the pandemic.
There are strict restrictions on the use of mobile phones in the library.
The diet plan comes with several food restrictions.