What is meant by the term "spaghettification" in the context of black holes?

The term "spaghettification" specifically refers to the phenomenon that occurs as an object approaches the event horizon of a black hole, where the gravitational forces become incredibly strong and vary significantly across the object's length. This gradient in gravitational pull causes the object to stretch lengthwise and compress widthwise, resembling a strand of spaghetti. The intense tidal forces exerted by the black hole lead to this dramatic elongation and distortion of matter.

In the context of black holes, spaghettification vividly illustrates the extreme environments that occur near these cosmic phenomena, highlighting both their immense gravitational influence and the dramatic effects they have on physical objects that venture too close.