osteoporosis

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

/ ˌɒs ti oʊ pəˈroʊ sɪs /

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noun Pathology.

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.

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In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…

candystring

candyfloss

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Origin of osteoporosis

1840–50; osteo- + Greek pór(os) passage, pore² + -osis

Words nearby osteoporosis

osteopathy, osteopetrosis, osteophyte, osteoplastic, osteoplasty, osteoporosis, osteoporotic, osteoradionecrosis, osteosarcoma, osteosclerosis, osteosis

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use osteoporosis in a sentence

Exercise can help increase bone density when you’re younger and stave off osteoporosis, a disease that weakens bone and increases the risk of breaks as you age.
4 Ways Exercise Helps Fight Aging|Liz Seegert|June 1, 2021|Time
Almost half of all adults 50 and older are at risk of breaking a bone due to osteoporosis, which costs the health system $19 billion annually, according to the National Osteoporosis Foundation.
4 Ways Exercise Helps Fight Aging|Liz Seegert|June 1, 2021|Time
Osteoporosis becomes more prevalent as people age, with nearly 27 percent of women and 6 percent of men 65 and older having osteoporosis.
The Big Number: 14.1 million Americans 50 and older suffer osteoporosis|Linda Searing|April 12, 2021|Washington Post
Such studies could help researchers better understand how activity levels in childhood might relate to when and how osteoporosis plays out in adults.
Strongest bones come from Goldilocks recipe of exercise and rest|Lindsey Konkel|December 18, 2020|Science News For Students

In the growing movement of health-conscious consumers, bone broth is hailed as a mineral source that can help combat osteoporosis.
Bone broth will sustain you at home and in the wild. Here’s how to make it.|By Tim MacWelch/Outdoor Life|October 5, 2020|Popular-Science
The results were awful: marked osteoporosis in the spine, hip, and femur.
You’re Never ‘Cured’ of an Eating Disorder|Carrie Arnold|December 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
If not, they risk facing complications including osteoporosis, thyroid disease and cancer.
The Gluten Detecting Device You’ll Want to Own|DailyBurn|October 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The most severe side effect some users experience from heroin maintenance is osteoporosis after long-term use.
Legal, Regulated Heroin Could Have Saved Philip Seymour Hoffman|Valerie Vande Panne|February 18, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It is probable that if this work is confirmed a somewhat similar causative factor will be discovered for osteoporosis.
Special Report on Diseases of the Horse|United States Department of Agriculture

British Dictionary definitions for osteoporosis

osteoporosis

/ (ˌɒstɪəʊpɔːˈrəʊsɪs) /

noun

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

Derived forms of osteoporosis

osteoporotic, adjective

Word Origin for osteoporosis

C19: from osteo- + pore ² + -osis

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-rō′sĭs ]

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.

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.