View synonyms for callus

callus

[ kal-uhs ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

, plural cal·lus·es.

Pathology, Physiology.
1. a hardened or thickened part of the skin; a callosity.
2. a new growth of osseous matter at the ends of a fractured bone, serving to unite them.
Also Botany.
1. the tissue that forms over the wounds of plants, protecting the inner tissues and causing healing.
2. a deposit on the perforated area of a sieve tube.
3. (in grasses) a tough swelling at the base of a lemma or palea.

verb (used without object)

, cal·lused, cal·lus·ing.

to form a callus.

verb (used with object)

, cal·lused, cal·lus·ing.

to produce a callus or calluses on:
Heavy work callused his hands.

callus

/ ˈkæləs /

noun

Also calledcallosity an area of skin that is hard or thick, esp on the palm of the hand or sole of the foot, as from continual friction or pressure
an area of bony tissue formed during the healing of a fractured bone
botany
1. a mass of hard protective tissue produced in woody plants at the site of an injury
2. an accumulation of callose in the sieve tubes
biotechnology a mass of undifferentiated cells produced as the first stage in tissue culture

verb

to produce or cause to produce a callus

callus

/ kăl′əs /

An area of the skin that has become hardened and thick, usually because of prolonged pressure or rubbing.
The hard bony tissue that develops around the ends of a fractured bone during healing.

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Other Words From

un·callused adjective

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Word History and Origins

Origin of callus¹

First recorded in 1555–65; from Latin callus, masculine variant of callum “tough skin, any hard substance”; callous

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Word History and Origins

Origin of callus¹

C16: from Latin, variant of callum hardened skin

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Example Sentences

This callus may form upon any cut surface, or even where the bark has been abraded.

From Project Gutenberg

You can get the callus almost every time, but it is very difficult to secure the development of roots afterwards.

From Project Gutenberg

President Morris: How about getting callus by three months, we will say, in storage?

From Project Gutenberg

On January 11 the cambium ring at the lower end of the cuttings had begun to callus.

From Project Gutenberg

The butternut and black walnut hardly showed any callus at all after keeping the sphagnum wet as long as my men would do it.

From Project Gutenberg

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