Meanings
nounpyknosis (usually uncountable, plural pyknoses)
plural pyknoses · alternative pycnosis
- uncountableusuallybiologyShrinkage and condensing, such as that of a dying cell or the appearance of a cell's nucleus.
Synonyms: karyopyknosis
Synonyms & antonyms
nounShrinkage and condensing, such as that of a dying cell or the appearance of a cell's nucleus.
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More synonyms by meaning
Also see
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Ancient Greekπύκνωσις“thickening”
- Englishpyknosis
From Ancient Greek πύκνωσις (púknōsis, “thickening”), from πυκνός (puknós, “compact”).
More words from Ancient Greek
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
APA
pyknosis. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pyknosis
MLA
“pyknosis.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pyknosis. Accessed November 3, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “pyknosis,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pyknosis.
Source: pyknosis on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.