scoliosis
Americannoun
noun
Other Word Forms
- scoliotic adjective
Etymology
Origin of scoliosis
First recorded in 1700–10, scoliosis is from the Greek word skolíōsis a bending
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How does scoliosis compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
When a person's spine curves to the side, he or she has a medical condition called scoliosis. A human spine, or backbone, is usually straight; when it curves in an S or C shape, it's often because of scoliosis. When a patient is diagnosed with scoliosis, he or she receives physical therapy and sometimes needs to wear a brace that helps to gradually straighten the spine. The Greek word skoliosis literally means "crookedness," from the root skolios, "bent or crooked."
Vocabulary lists containing scoliosis
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Isla, 14, from Plymouth, was diagnosed with scoliosis, or curvature of the spine, about 18 months ago and has had to wear a brace for 20 hours a day since.
From BBC • Jan. 21, 2026
The technique also successfully repaired mutations linked to scoliosis in zebrafish embryos.
From Science Daily • Oct. 25, 2025
Throughout junior high school, she wore a Milwaukee brace, a corrective for severe scoliosis.
From New York Times • Nov. 29, 2024
Eva suffers from Rett syndrome, a rare genetic disorder that affects brain development, and has advanced scoliosis that causes her spine to twist and curve to the side.
From BBC • Mar. 27, 2024
A month ago, Danny Brooks, the eighth grader with a scoliosis brace, was picked six slots ahead of me for a round of dodgeball.
From "Better Nate Than Ever" by Tim Federle
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
