Ossified
Adjective
- Having turned into bone or bony tissue.
- Having become rigid or fixed in attitude or position.
Example Sentences
“His thinking has become so ossified over the years that he can’t imagine any other way to solve the problem.”
“What began as a vibrant community group slowly ossified into a rigid committee with too many rules.”
“The X-ray revealed an ossified fragment near the joint, the result of an old injury.”
Word Origin
Latin, late 17th century
Why this word?
In Latin, the word “os” means “bone,” and the prefix “oss-” is applied to many words having to do with bones or hardening. “Ossify” is a verb meaning “to turn into bone or bony tissue,” but it also has a figurative usage meaning “to become rigid or fixed in attitude or position; cease developing.” “Ossified” is the past participle of the verb, but it can also be an adjective, describing things that have either turned into bone or become fixed and rigid. These bony words came into English in the 17th century from the French “ossifier,” with the same definition.
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