osteon

noun

os·​te·​on ˈä-stē-ˌän How to pronounce osteon (audio)
plural osteons
: a cylindrical unit of bone consisting of a central Haversian canal surrounded by concentric layers of lamella (see lamella sense c) : haversian system
osteons appear as concentric ring-like structures, with the newest tissue located at the center nearest to the blood vessel, and the oldest tissue located at the periphery of the osteon.Jayme Burket et al.
osteonal adjective
osteonal bone

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Greek ostéon "bone" — more at osseous

First Known Use

1928, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of osteon was in 1928

Dictionary Entries Near osteon

Cite this Entry

“Osteon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/osteon. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Medical Definition

osteon

noun
os·​te·​on ˈäs-tē-ˌän How to pronounce osteon (audio)
variants also osteone
: a cylindrical unit of bone consisting of a central Haversian canal surrounded by concentric layers of lamella (see lamella sense 1a) : haversian system
Most current histological age estimating methods rely primarily upon the well-established increase in the number of osteons and their fragments … with age. It has also been shown that osteon size and osteon shape decrease and increase with age respectively.Jesse R. Goliath et al., Forensic Science International
osteonal adjective
osteonal bone
… a primary function of osteonal remodeling in the adult skeleton is reparative: remodeling serves to remove and replace fatigue-damaged regions of compact bone. Mitchell B. Schaffler, Musculoskeletal Fatigue and Stress Fractures
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