necrotize

[ nek-ruh-tahyz ]

verb (used without object)

, nec·ro·tized, nec·ro·tiz·ing.

1. to undergo necrosis.

verb (used with object)

, nec·ro·tized, nec·ro·tiz·ing.

1. to cause necrosis in (a tissue, an organ, etc.).

Word History and Origins

Origin of necrotize¹

1870–75; necrot(ic) ( def ) + -ize

Example Sentences

That is sometimes a sign of an inflammatory condition of the intestines, called necrotizing enterocolitis or NEC, that’s a leading cause of hospital deaths among extremely preterm babies.

From ProPublica

After suffering a severe bout of necrotizing pancreatitis in 2014 that left him in a three-month coma, he struggled to get back on his feet, plagued by a rare condition that causes his bones to grow where they shouldn’t.

From Time

Alex Smith suffered a compound leg fracture in 2018 and had 17 surgeries to repair the bones and clean out an infection that necrotized surrounding muscle.

From Washington Post