os·te·o·po·ro·sis

[os-tee-oh-puh-roh-sis]
noun Pathology.
a disorder in which the bones become increasingly porous, brittle, and subject to fracture, owing to loss of calcium and other mineral components, sometimes resulting in pain, decreased height, and skeletal deformities: common in older persons, primarily postmenopausal women, but also associated with long-term steroid therapy and certain endocrine disorders.

Origin:
1840–50; osteo- + Greek pór(os) passage, pore2 + -osis

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source Link To osteoporosis
00:10
Osteoporosis has a plethora of syllables.
So is floccinaucinihilipilification. Does it mean:
a white, crystalline, water-insoluble solid, C14H9Cl5, usually derived from chloral by reaction with chlorobenzene in the presence of fuming sulfuric acid: used as an insecticide and as a scabicide and pediculicide: agricultural use prohibited in the U.S.
the estimation of something as valueless (encountered mainly as an example of one of the longest words in the English language).
Collins
World English Dictionary
osteoporosis (ˌɒstɪəʊpɔːˈrəʊsɪs) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
n
porosity and brittleness of the bones due to loss of calcium from the bone matrix
 
[C19: from osteo- + pore² + -osis]
 
osteopo'rotic
 
adj

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History

osteoporosis
1846, from osteo- + Gk. poros "passage, pore, voyage" (see pore (n.)).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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American Heritage
Medical Dictionary

osteoporosis os·te·o·po·ro·sis (ŏs'tē-ō-pə-rō'sĭs)
n. pl. os·te·o·po·ro·ses (-sēz)
A disease in which the bones become extremely porous, are subject to fracture, and heal slowly, occurring especially in women following menopause and often leading to curvature of the spine from vertebral collapse.


os'te·o·po·rot'ic (-rŏt'ĭk) adj.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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American Heritage
Science Dictionary
osteoporosis   (ŏs'tē-ō-pə-rō'sĭs)  Pronunciation Key 
A bone disease characterized by decrease in bone mass and density, resulting in a predisposition to fractures and bone deformities such as the collapse of one or more vertebrae. It occurs most commonly in women after menopause as a result of estrogen deficiency. Calcium supplementation and weight-bearing exercise are used to treat and prevent osteoporosis.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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American Heritage
Cultural Dictionary
osteoporosis [(os-tee-oh-puh-roh-sis)]

A softening of the bones that gradually increases and makes them more fragile. It is caused by the gradual loss of the mineral calcium, which helps make bones hard. Osteoporosis occurs most often in elderly women.

Note: Many experts now believe that osteoporosis can be prevented through regular exercise, mineral supplements, and a diet high in calcium.
The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Example sentences
But the drug has side effects: weight gain, menstrual irregularity, and it may
  contribute to osteoporosis.
Cortisol replacement therapy can cause mood swings, ulcers, weight gain and
  osteoporosis.
In these patients, the osteoporosis is treated with prescription medications
  and calcium supplements to prevent more fractures.
The newest drug to fight osteoporosis has been shown to reduce by half the risk
  of broken hips.
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