1. Tending to draw together or constrict soft organic tissue
   "astringent cosmetic lotions"
    
2. Sour or bitter in taste
   "The astringent tannins in the wine made it difficult to drink";
   - acerb, acerbic

1. A drug that causes contraction of body tissues and canals
   "He applied an astringent to stop the bleeding";
   - astringent drug, styptic

Derived forms: astringents

See also: astringency, haemostatic [Brit, Cdn], hemostatic [N. Amer], sour, stypsis, styptic

Type of: med [informal], medicament, medication, medicinal drug, medicine

Antonym: nonastringent

Encyclopedia: Astringent