ossify

os·si·fy

verb \ˈä-sə-ˌfī\

os·si·fiedos·si·fy·ing

Definition of OSSIFY

intransitive verb

1

: to change into bone

2

: to become hardened or conventional and opposed to change

transitive verb

1

: to change (as cartilage) into bone

2

: to make rigidly conventional and opposed to change

Examples of OSSIFY

1. The cartilage will ossify, becoming bone.
2. a disease that ossifies the joints

Origin of OSSIFY

Latin oss-, os + English -ify

First Known Use: 1713

Rhymes with OSSIFY

abide by, Adonai, alibi, alkali, amplify, apple-pie, argufy, assegai, azo dye, basify, beautify, butterfly, by-and-by, caddis fly, calcify, certify, Chou En-lai, citify, clarify, classify, coalify, cockneyfy, codify, college try, cottage pie, crucify, cut-and-try, cutie-pie, DIY, damnify, damselfly, dandify, deify, densify, dignify, dobsonfly, do-or-die, dragonfly, dulcify, eagle eye, edify, evil eye, falsify, fancify, fortify, frenchify, fructify, gasify, Gemini, gentrify, glorify, goggle-eye, goldeneye, gratify, Haggai, harvest fly, hexerei, high and dry, hip and thigh, Hokusai, hook and eye, horrify, hoverfly, humble pie, Iceni, justify, kiss good-bye, lazy eye, lignify, liquefy, lithify, Lorelei, lullaby, Madurai, magnify, Malachi, Maracay, minify, modify, mollify, Molokai, Mordecai, mortify, multi-ply, multiply, mummify, mystify, nazify, notify, nullify, occupy, old school tie, on standby, on the fly, overbuy, overfly, overlie, pacify, Paraguay, passerby, peccavi, petrify, PPI, preachify, prettify, private eye, prophesy, purify, putrefy, qualify, quantify, ramify, rarefy, ratify, RBI, rectify, reify, res gestae, robber fly, runner's high, Russify, samurai, sanctify, satisfy, scarify, schwarmerei, semidry, set store by, shepherd's pie, shoofly pie, signify, simplify, Spanish fly, specify, speechify, stratify, stultify, stupefy, sweetie pie, Tenebrae, terrify, testify, tie-and-dye, tigereye, Trans Alai, tumble dry, typify, uglify, underlie, unify, Uruguay, Veneti, verify, versify, vilify, vinify, vitrify, vivify, weather eye, Windsor tie, xanthene dye, yuppify, zombify

os·si·fy

verb \ˈäs-ə-ˌfī\   (Medical Dictionary)

os·si·fied; os·si·fy·ing

Medical Definition of OSSIFY

intransitive verb

: to form or be transformed into bone <cartilage ossified postnatally>

transitive verb

: to change (as cartilage) into bone <osteoblasts ossify the tissue>