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1[mass noun] The action of bending or curving, or the condition of being bent or curved.
- ‘Along with characterizing a plastic's bending properties, flexure can be used to evaluate aging and sterilization effects on a product.’
- ‘Tumors or polyps that develop proximal to the splenic flexure carry a poorer prognosis than those that arise more distally.’
- ‘The basin is separated from the craton by a major tectonic flexure known as the Redstone arch.’
- ‘To add to the problem, Barbara had a lengthy, tortuous colon, and - despite turning, twisting, and compressing her - barium and air would not pass proximal to the hepatic flexure.’
- ‘Approximately one third of polyps and one half of colorectal cancers occur proximal to the splenic flexure.’
- 1.1[count noun] A bent or curved part:‘these lesser hills were flexures of the San Andreas system’
bend, turn, loop, curl, twist, hookView synonyms
- ‘Some are twisted like phone cords; others have sharp flexures from buckling.’
- ‘The only irregularities are small east-dipping flexures over deep-seated faults.’
- ‘In crawling infants the forearms, extensor aspects of the knees, and the ankle flexures are often the most affected.’
Late 16th century: from Latin flexura, from flectere to bend.
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