excrescence
[ ik-skres-uh ns ]
/ ɪkˈskrɛs əns /
noun
an abnormal outgrowth, usually harmless, on an animal or vegetable body.
a normal outgrowth, as hair or horns.
any disfiguring addition.
abnormal growth or increase.
Nearby words
- excrement,
- excremental,
- excrementally,
- excrementitious,
- excrementous,
- excrescency,
- excrescent,
- excrescently,
- excreta,
- excrete
Origin of excrescence
First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English word from Latin word excrēscentia. See excrescent, -ence
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for excrescence
excrescence
/ (ɪkˈskrɛsəns) /
noun
a projection or protuberance, esp an outgrowth from an organ or part of the body
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
excrescence
early 15c., "action of growing out," from Latin excrescentia (plural) "abnormal growths," from excrescentem (nominative excrescens), present participle of excrescere "grow out, grow up," from ex- "out" (see ex-) + crescere "to grow" (see crescent). Meaning "that which grows out abnormally (on a living thing) is from 1570s (excrescency in this sense is 1540s).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
excrescence
[ ĭk-skrĕs′əns ]
n.
An outgrowth from a surface that may be normal, such as a fingernail, or abnormal, such as a wart.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.