Word
sclerosis
Phoneticsscle·ro·sis
US/skɫɝˈoʊsəs/
UK/skləɹˈəʊsɪs/
Definitions
01medical hardening of tissue
n. a medical condition where body tissues, like nerves or arteries, become hard and stop working correctly.
n. the abnormal hardening of body tissues, typically resulting from inflammation, mineral deposits, or the overgrowth of fibrous tissue.
“Multiple sclerosis is a disease that affects the central nervous system.”
“The autopsy revealed advanced arterial sclerosis, which the pathologist identified as the primary cause of the patient's chronic circulatory issues.”
Technical
Usage
Often used in specific medical names like 'multiple sclerosis' or 'amyotrophic lateral sclerosis'.
Synonyms
02resistance to change
n. a situation where a system, government, or company becomes too slow and stiff to change or improve.
n. a state of institutional or social rigidity characterized by an inability to innovate or adapt to new circumstances.
“The professor argued that political sclerosis was preventing the country from fixing its economy.”
“Economists often warn that bureaucratic sclerosis can stifle national growth by creating excessive hurdles for new businesses and technological innovation.”
Academic · Formal
Teaching tip
This is a metaphorical use of the medical term; it is common in high-level political and economic commentary.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Real-World Examples
“The official diagnosis of remitting-relapsing multiple sclerosis was almost a relief.” “In autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS), the protective coating breaks down.” Etymology
From Ancient Greek σκλήρωσις (sklḗrōsis, “hardening”), from σκληρόω (sklēróō, “to harden”), from σκληρός (sklērós, “hard”); by surface analysis, sclero- + -osis.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/sclerosis