impaction

== English == === Etymology === From Latin impingere (“to dash against, impinge”). === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ɪmˈpækʃən/ Rhymes: -ækʃən === Noun === impaction (countable and uncountable, plural impactions) A compression; the packing together of loose matter. Something packed together tightly; a mass of densely-packed matter. (medicine, gastroenterology) A solid, immobile bulk of stool. (dentistry) The failure of a tooth to erupt into the dental arch, because of adjacent teeth, dense overlying bone, excessive soft tissue, or other factor. (education) The situation where an institute, usually a college or university, receives more applications from qualified applicants than the number of spaces available, meaning that meeting the minimum admission requirements does not guarantee acceptance. ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Translations ====