effacement

ef·face

 (ĭ-fās′)

v. ef·faced, ef·fac·ing, ef·fac·es

v.tr.

1. To rub or wipe out; erase: The serial number had been effaced from the stolen product.

2. To remove or make indistinct: "Five years' absence had done nothing to efface the people's memory of his firmness" (Alan Moorehead).

3. To conduct (oneself) inconspicuously: "When the two women went out together, Anna deliberately effaced herself and played to the dramatic Molly" (Doris Lessing).

4. Medicine To cause to become shorter, softer, and thinner during labor: The cervix was effaced as the contractions continued.

v.intr.

Medicine To become shorter, softer, and thinner during labor. Used of the cervix.

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[Middle English effacen, from French effacer, from Old French esfacier : es-, out (from Latin ex-, ex-) + face, face; see face.]

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ef·face′a·ble adj.

ef·face′ment n.

ef·fac′er n.

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ef·fa·cé

 (ĕf′ə-sā′)

n.

A position in ballet in which the dancer stands at an angle to the audience so that part of the body is hidden from view.

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[French, from past participle of effacer, to efface; see efface.]

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	effacement - shortening of the uterine cervix and thinning of its walls as it is dilated during labor biological process, organic process - a process occurring in living organisms childbed, confinement, lying-in, parturiency, travail, labour, labor - concluding state of pregnancy; from the onset of contractions to the birth of a child; "she was in labor for six hours"
	2.	effacement - withdrawing into the background; making yourself inconspicuous self-effacement withdrawal - the act of withdrawing; "the withdrawal of French troops from Vietnam"

Translations

esfacelamento

ef·face·ment

n. borradura, deformación de las características de un órgano tal como la del cuello uterino durante el parto.