osteoporosis

[ os-tee-oh-puh-roh-sis ]

nounPathology.
  1. 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 of osteoporosis

1
First recorded in 1840–50; osteo- + Greek pór(os) “passage” (cf. pore2 ) + -osis

Words Nearby osteoporosis

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use osteoporosis in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for osteoporosis

osteoporosis

/ (ˌɒstɪəʊpɔːˈrəʊsɪs) /


noun
  1. porosity and brittleness of the bones due to loss of calcium from the bone matrix

Origin of osteoporosis

1
C19: from osteo- + pore ² + -osis

Derived forms of osteoporosis

  • osteoporotic, adjective

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for osteoporosis

osteoporosis

[ ŏs′tē-ō-pə-rōsĭs ]


  1. 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 © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Cultural definitions for osteoporosis

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.

Notes for osteoporosis

Many experts now believe that osteoporosis can be prevented through regular exercise, mineral supplements, and a diet high in calcium.

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.