Distend

Distend is a verb that means to extend or stretch. The Latin word tendere (TEN dare ay) means ‘to stretch.’ By combining it with the prefix ‘DIS’ meaning ‘apart,’ we get the basis for our word of the day. Distend may be used in a medical context to refer to, for example, ‘a distended finger,’ or it can refer to something a person does, as in: I would like to distend our tent so that all five people may fit inside. If we aren’t able to stretch it out, we might have to cancel our trip.