1
: a thickening of or a hard thickened area on skin or bark
2
: a mass of exudate and connective tissue that forms around a break in a bone and is converted into bone in healing
3
: soft tissue that forms over a wounded or cut plant surface
callused; callusing; calluses
: to form callus
: to cause callus to form on
Examples of callus in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Lydia Denworth, Scientific American, 18 Feb. 2025
Workout gloves Workout gloves can help grip strength while at the gym, while also protecting your hands from calluses.
—Ashlyn Messier, Fox News, 18 Nov. 2024
Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Apr. 2025
Move the plate to a warm, dry spot out of direct sunlight for a few days so the leaves can callus over.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for callus
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Noun
Too little results in no callus; too much prevents the bone from knitting back together.
—Lydia Denworth, Scientific American, 18 Feb. 2025
Workout gloves Workout gloves can help grip strength while at the gym, while also protecting your hands from calluses.
—Ashlyn Messier, Fox News, 18 Nov. 2024
Verb
Place the succulent stem on a plate for a few days to allow the cut end to callus over, and then plant the cut stem in a pot filled with a moist potting mix designed for cacti and succulents.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Apr. 2025
Move the plate to a warm, dry spot out of direct sunlight for a few days so the leaves can callus over.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for callus
Cite this Entry
“Callus.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/callus. Accessed 28 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
callus
1 of 2 noun
cal·lus
ˈkal-əs 
plural calluses
1
: a hard thickened area on skin or bark
2
: a mass of tissue that forms around a break in a bone and is changed into bone in the healing of the break
3
: tissue that forms over an injured plant surface
callus
2 of 2 verb
: to form callus
Medical Definition
callus
noun
cal·lus
ˈkal-əs
1
: a thickening of or a hard thickened area on skin
2
: a mass of exudate and connective tissue that forms around a break in a bone and is converted into bone in the healing of the break
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