*tractile*

a. [ Cf. F. contractile. ] tending to contract; having the power or property of contracting, or of shrinking into shorter or smaller dimensions; as, the contractile tissues. [ 1913 Webster ]

The heart's contractile force. H. Brooke. [ 1913 Webster ]

Each cilium seems to be composed of contractile substance. Hixley. [ 1913 Webster ]

Contractile vacuole (Zool.), a pulsating cavity in the interior of a protozoan, supposed to be excretory in function. There may be one, two, or more. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. (Bot.) Tending or serving to draw apart. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Not tractile; incapable of being drawn out or extended. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. 1. Not retractile. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Not tractile or ductile. [ R. ] Sir W. Hamilton. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. not able to be drawn into the main body; -- of claws and other extensile parts of animals or objects; as, a bear's claws, unlike a cat's, are nonretractile. Opposite of retractile. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

a. Capable of being protracted, or protruded; protrusile. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Cf. F. -rétractile. ] (Physiol.) Capable of retraction; capable of being drawn back or up; as, the claws of a cat are retractile. [ 1913 Webster ]