necrosis

American  

[nuh-kroh-sis, ne-] / nəˈkroʊ sɪs, nɛ- /

noun

• necroses
  plural

1. death of a circumscribed portion of animal or plant tissue.

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necrosis British  

/ nɛˈkrəʊsɪs, nɛˈkrɒtɪk /

noun

1. the death of one or more cells in the body, usually within a localized area, as from an interruption of the blood supply to that part

2. death of plant tissue due to disease, frost, etc

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necrosis Scientific  

/ nə-krō′sĭs /

1. The death of cells or tissues from severe injury or disease, especially in a localized area of the body. Causes of necrosis include inadequate blood supply (as in infarcted tissue), bacterial infection, traumatic injury, and hyperthermia.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• necrotic
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• necroses
  plural

Etymology

Origin of necrosis

First recorded in 1655–65; from New Latin, from Greek nékrōsis “mortification, state of death”; see origin at necr-, -osis

Compare meaning

How does necrosis compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• gangrene vs. necrosis
• infarction vs. necrosis

Explanation

Necrosis is when cells in your skin or other parts of your body die. Civil War soldiers with gangrene who had their limbs amputated suffered from necrosis. You're not likely to come across the noun necrosis unless you're in a hospital or a medical school pathology class. It's a term that describes the death of cells in a living organism, usually after an infection or severe illness. It's not something most people need to worry about, unless they are bit by a brown recluse spider. Its venom has been shown to kill live cells in humans — in other words, to cause necrosis.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

necrosis necroses

And then, of course, spiders are venomous, toting enough toxin to immobilize and liquify prey and, in a few cases, cause lesions, necrosis or death in humans.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 15, 2026

The researchers also reported increased release of pro-inflammatory messengers, including interleukin-6, interleukin-1β and tumor necrosis factor-alpha.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 30, 2025

Doctors said the pressure of the magnets had caused necrosis -- tissue death -- in four areas of the boy's small bowel and caecum, which is part of the large intestine.

From Barron's ● Oct. 24, 2025

Han Jeong-sun, a second-generation survivor, suffers from avascular necrosis in her hips, and can't walk without dragging herself.

From BBC ● Aug. 4, 2025

Pyrogen is released from leukocytes, adding fever to.hemorrhage, necrosis, and shock.

From "The Lives of a Cell" by Lewis Thomas

Limited necroses with characteristic cheesy appearances are of frequent occurrence.

From A System of Practical Medicine by American Authors, Vol. I Volume 1: Pathology and General Diseases by Various

The ulcerations, necroses, perforations and hemorrhages are most frequently found in the last twelve inches of the small intestine, and may extend into the large intestine.

From Alcohol: A Dangerous and Unnecessary Medicine, How and Why What Medical Writers Say by Martha Meir Allen

The skin, when it is closely peppered with shot, is liable to lose its vitality, and with the addition of a little sepsis, readily necroses and comes away as a slough.

From Manual of Surgery Volume First: General Surgery. Sixth Edition. by Alexis Thomson

Moreover, injections of sodium urate and ergot caused necroses in the muscularis and elastica of the aorta, pulmonary artery, vena cavas inferior and heart muscle, but there was no calcification.

From Arteriosclerosis and Hypertension: with Chapters on Blood Pressure, 3rd Edition. by Louis Marshall Warfield

Related Words

• decease
• demise
• dying
• expiration
• loss of life
• passing