ossify
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ossify
- /ˈɒs.ɪ.faɪ/ UK
- /ˈɑ.sə.faɪ/ US
Rhymes with -aɪ
Where it comes from
Back-formation from ossification, or modeled on French ossifier and formed from Latin os, ossis (“bone”) + -ify.
verb ossifies · ossifying · ossified
-
To transform (or cause to transform) from a softer animal substance into bone; particularly the processes of growth in humans and animals.
[…], nor do all bones of the same skeleton ossify during the samе period of time.
Opposite: deossify
-
To become (or cause to become) inflexible and rigid in habits or opinions.
Before long, the entire organization ossifies.
Similar: harden
- To grow (or cause to grow) formulaic and permanent. This accidental repartition gets repeated, develops advantages of its own, and gradually ossifies into a systematic division of labour.
- To calcify. The cartilages become brittle, and in many instances are ossified; the ligaments are rendered harder, but are less capable of resisting extension.
Translations
Every language
verb to transform into bone
| Español | osificar |
|---|---|
| 中文 | 骨化 gǔhuà |
| Português | ossificar |
| Français | ossifier |
| Italiano | ossificare |
| Română | osifica |
| Русский | костенеть kostenetʹ, превраща́ть в кость prevraščátʹ v kostʹ, превраща́ться в кость prevraščátʹsja v kostʹ |
verb to become inflexible in habits or opinions
| Русский | черстветь čerstvetʹ, грубеть grubetʹ, ожесточать ožestočatʹ, де́лать бесчувственным délatʹ besčuvstvennym |
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Talk about this word "ossify." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/ossify. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. ossify. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/ossify "ossify." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/ossify.Cite this
@misc{ossify_2026,
title = {ossify},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/ossify},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
