English Reference

Word

fibrosis

Phoneticsfi·bro·sis

US/faɪˈbɹoʊsəs/

UK/fɪbɹˈəʊsɪs/

Definition

n. the growth of extra, thick tissue in your body that happens after an injury or illness. It is similar to how a scar forms on your skin, but it happens inside your organs.

n. the thickening and scarring of connective tissue, usually resulting from injury or long-term inflammation. It involves the excessive deposition of extracellular matrix components, such as collagen, which can impair organ function.

Examples

“The doctor checked his lungs for signs of fibrosis.”

“Chronic inflammation of the liver can eventually lead to fibrosis, which prevents the organ from working correctly.”

“While the body uses scarring to repair wounds, systemic fibrosis involves a pathological overproduction of tough tissue that can eventually lead to total organ failure if left untreated.”

Examples

simple

“The doctor checked his lungs for signs of fibrosis.”

contextual

“Chronic inflammation of the liver can eventually lead to fibrosis, which prevents the organ from working correctly.”

complex

“While the body uses scarring to repair wounds, systemic fibrosis involves a pathological overproduction of tough tissue that can eventually lead to total organ failure if left untreated.”

Usage

Uncountable in its general medical sense; can be modified by the name of the affected organ, such as 'pulmonary fibrosis' or 'cystic fibrosis'.

Real-World Examples

“Crown Prince Haakon's wife, Crown Princess Mette-Marit, received a lung transplant in June after she had been diagnosed with a rare form of pulmonary fibrosis in 2018.”
BBC News · 24 Aug 2026
“GDF15 also appeared to slow the progression of liver fibrosis, the accumulation of scar tissue that occurs as liver disease becomes more advanced.”
ScienceDaily · 21 Aug 2026

Domain

Medicine

This entry

Level
C2 · Proficiency
Frequency
Occasional
Updated

Scan code

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English Reference