exostosis

E1X8O1S1T1O1S1I1S1

noun

A benign, bony growth, often covered with cartilage, on the surface of a bone or tooth.

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Scrabble 16

Meanings

nounexostosis (countable and uncountable, plural exostoses)

plural exostoses

  1. countableuncountableA benign, bony growth, often covered with cartilage, on the surface of a bone or tooth.

    Exostoses are the most common benign tumors of the EAC.^([External Auditory Canal])

    2009, Mauricio Castillo, Valerie L. Jewells, Craig Buchman, “2: The External Auditory Canal and Pinna”, in Joel D. Swartz, Laurie A. Loevner, editors, Imaging of the Temporal Bone, 4th edition, Thieme, page 44
    2 more examples

    Unquestionably, gentlemen, the bones most liable to exostosis are, first, the femur; secondly, the humeri; and thirdly, the lower jaw. But exostoses are met with on the sternum clavicle, and the bones of the head; in short, I may state, that there are no bones on which exostoses may not be produced.

    1834, Samuel Cooper, “Lectures on the Principles, Practice, & Operations of Surgery: Lecture LXIV”, in Michael Ryan, editor, The London Medical and Surgical Journal, volume 4, Henry Renshaw, page 516

    2013, Quinton Gopen, Fundamental Otology: Pediatric & Adult Practice, Jaypee Brothers Medical Publishers, page 381, Part of the issue is the exostoses themselves, which can lead the surgeon directly into normal important structures. The exostosis may grow medially and become in direct contact with the tympanic membrane. The exostosis may also grow medial to the annular insertion of the tympanic membrane, placing the facial nerve at significant risk.

    Synonyms: bone spur

Synonyms & antonyms

nounA benign, bony growth, often covered with cartilage, on the surface of a bone or tooth.

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Origin

  1. Ancient Greekὀστέον“bone”
  2. Koine Greekἐξόστωσις“a diseased excrescence on the bone”
  3. Englishexostosis

From Koine Greek ἐξόστωσις (exóstōsis, “a diseased excrescence on the bone”), from Ancient Greek ὀστέον (ostéon, “bone”).

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Catalan exostosi
  • exostosibenign bony growth
Chinese Mandarin 外生骨疣, 外生性骨疣
  • 外生骨疣benign bony growth
  • 外生性骨疣benign bony growth
Finnish luukasvama
  • luukasvamabenign bony growth
French exostose
  • exostosebenign bony growth
German Exostose, Überbein
  • Exostosebenign bony growth
  • Überbeinbenign bony growth
Greek εξόστωση
  • εξόστωση (exóstosi)benign bony growth
Indonesian eksostosis
  • eksostosisbenign bony growth
Irish spor cnáimhe
  • spor cnáimhebenign bony growth
Italian esostosi, spinella
  • esostosibenign bony growth
  • spinellabenign bony growth
  • schinellabenign bony growth
  • soprossobenign bony growth
Welsh ecsostosis, echasgwrn
  • ecsostosisbenign bony growth
  • echasgwrnbenign bony growth
Cite this entry
APA

exostosis. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/exostosis

MLA

“exostosis.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/exostosis. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “exostosis,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/exostosis.

Source: exostosis on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.