scoliosis

noun

sco·​li·​o·​sis ˌskō-lē-ˈō-səs 

plural scolioses ˌskō-lē-ˈō-ˌsēz 

: a lateral curvature of the spine

scoliotic

ˌskō-lē-ˈä-tik 

adjective

Examples of scoliosis in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

This luxury mattress style is geared for sleepers with chronic joint and back pain caused by sciatica, arthritis, herniated disc, and scoliosis. —Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 28 Apr. 2025

Whitman played Heather, a patient with advanced scoliosis being treated for kidney stones and hoping to regain the ability to walk upright. —Kevin Jacobsen, EW.com, 27 Mar. 2025

That compensation might owe to his scoliosis and the half-inch difference in leg length. —Liam Tharme, The Athletic, 23 Mar. 2025

Ysabel’s move was featured on the TLC show, along with her September 2020 surgery to correct her scoliosis. —Mckinley Franklin, People.com, 19 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from New Latin scoliōsis, borrowed from Greek skolíōsis "slanted or crooked state, curvature of the spine," from skoliō-, variant stem of skolióomai, skolioûsthai "to be bent or crooked" (verbal derivative of skoliós "bent, crooked, askew") + -sis -sis — more at isosceles

First Known Use

circa 1706, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for scoliosis

• acanthosis
• acidosis
• alkalosis
• amaurosis
• ankylosis
• asbestosis
• brucellosis
• cyanosis
• dermatosis
• diagnosis
• ecchymosis
• exostosis

Kids Definition

scoliosis

noun

sco·​li·​o·​sis ˌskō-lē-ˈō-səs 

plural scolioses -ˌsēz 

: an abnormal sideways curving of the spine

Medical Definition

scoliosis

noun

sco·​li·​o·​sis ˌskō-lē-ˈō-səs 

plural scolioses -ˌsēz 

: a lateral curvature of the spine compare kyphosis, lordosis sense 2

scoliotic

-ˈät-ik 

adjective