dilated

adjective

di·​lat·​ed ˈdī-ˌlā-təd 

dī-ˈlā-

1

: marked by expansion or widening : subject to dilation

Some insist that the need to learn is likely to be at the core of our dilated childhood.

—Natalie Angier

specifically : expanded, enlarged, or widened normally or abnormally in all dimensions

dilated pupils

a dilated artery/cervix

Abdominal roentgenograms taken when the patient was upright showed a massively dilated stomach.

—Yogesh K. Gupta

2

: expanded laterally

especially : being flat and widened

dilated leaves

The flower corolla consists of only the upper dilated petal called the standard, or banner.

—Sylvan T. Runkel and Dean M. Roose

3

: caused by dilatation (see dilatation sense 1a)

dilated cardiomyopathy

Examples of dilated in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Zoom in: At 17 weeks pregnant, the fetus was starting to come out of her dilated cervix, according to the report. —Kathryn Varn, Axios, 31 Oct. 2024

Other symptoms include a dilated pupil, redness and tears in the affected eye, ptosis, and nasal congestion.4 SUNCT headache: Short-lasting, unilateral, neuralgiform headache attacks with conjunctival injection and tearing (SUNCT) causes moderate to severe pain around the eye or temple. —Mark Gurarie, Health, 25 July 2024

Inside the lobby, a line of people with smeared eye makeup and dilated pupils snaked out of the bathrooms, laughing and flirting next to a wall of fake plants. —Emily Witt, The New Yorker, 1 July 2024

The injection comes with a side effect, though: Most patients will experience a droopy eyelid, dilated pupil and some vision loss for about 10 minutes, but the symptoms resolve quickly. —Aria Bendix, NBC News, 20 Nov. 2023

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Medical Definition

dilated

adjective

di·​lat·​ed dī-ˈlā-təd 

ˈdī-ˌ

1

: expanded, enlarged, or widened normally or abnormally in all dimensions

dilated pupils

a dilated artery/cervix

2

: caused by dilation

dilated cardiomyopathy