'contractible' originates from the Latin word 'contractibilis', where 'con-' meant 'together' and 'trahere' meant 'to draw'.

'contractibilis' transformed into the French word 'contractible', and eventually became the modern English word 'contractible'.

Initially, it meant 'capable of being drawn together', but over time it evolved into its current meaning of 'capable of being contracted or made smaller'.