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

While accuracy is important for all cases, for some conditions like scoliosis the spinal bones can get very thin, which can make placing screws without the robot very challenging, Ross said. —Nicole Villalpando, Austin American Statesman, 23 July 2025

The teenage boy eventually got approved for the scoliosis surgery, but not after the family went through a lot of stress with postponements and uncertainty. —Alana Semuels, Time, 15 July 2025

Surgeons employ a precise classification and nomenclature system to characterize scoliosis, tailoring their approach based on the patient’s age, the type of scoliosis and the underlying cause driving its development. —Richard Menger Md Mpa, Forbes.com, 30 June 2025

Allison Bustillo, a 23-year-old nursing student with scoliosis, has spent the past four months in ICE custody in Georgia. —Dhruv Mehrotra, Wired News, 25 June 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