First Known Use: 1713
Dictionary
ossify
verb os·si·fy \ˈä-sə-ˌfī\
: to become or to cause something to become unable to change
: to become or to cause something to become hard like bone
os·si·fiedos·si·fy·ing
Full Definition of OSSIFY
intransitive verb
1
: to change into bone
2
: to become hardened or conventional and opposed to change
transitive verb
1
: to change (as cartilage) into bone
2
: to make rigidly conventional and opposed to change
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Origin of OSSIFY
Latin oss-, os + English -ify
Rhymes with OSSIFY
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Medical Dictionary
ossify
verb os·si·fy \ˈäs-ə-ˌfī\
os·si·fiedos·si·fy·ing
Medical Definition of OSSIFY
intransitive verb
: to form or be transformed into bone <cartilage ossified postnatally>
transitive verb
: to change (as cartilage) into bone <osteoblasts ossify the tissue>
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