periosteum

[ per-ee-os-tee-uhm ]
/ ˌpɛr iˈɒs ti əm /

noun, plural per·i·os·te·a [per-ee-os-tee-uh]. /ˌpɛr iˈɒs ti ə/. Anatomy.

the normal investment of bone, consisting of a dense, fibrous outer layer, to which muscles attach, and a more delicate, inner layer capable of forming bone.

QUIZZES

QUIZ YOURSELF ON THESE WORDS FROM BROWN GIRL DREAMING!

Visualize yourself passing this quiz on words from Jacqueline Woodson’s exquisite verse novel “Brown Girl Dreaming,” and then take the quiz to prove you can do it! (Because you can.)
Question 1 of 10
What does “barren” mean?
a cylindrical wooden container with slightly bulging sides.
Worn down by dullness, tedious repetition.
unproductive; unfruitful
TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of periosteum

1590–1600; <New Latin, variant of Late Latin periosteon, noun use of neuter of Greek periósteos around the bones. See peri-, osteo-

OTHER WORDS FROM periosteum

per·i·os·te·al, per·i·os·te·ous, adjectiveper·i·os·te·al·ly, adverbsub·per·i·os·te·al, adjectivesub·per·i·os·te·al·ly, adverb

Words nearby periosteum

periosteomyelitis, periosteophyte, periosteoplastic amputation, periosteosis, periosteotomy, periosteum, periostitis, periostracum, periotic, periovaritis, peripachymeningitis
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for periosteum

British Dictionary definitions for periosteum

periosteum
/ (ˌpɛrɪˈɒstɪəm) /

noun plural -tea (-tɪə)

a thick fibrous two-layered membrane covering the surface of bones

Derived forms of periosteum

periosteal, adjective

Word Origin for periosteum

C16: New Latin, from Greek periosteon, from peri- + osteon bone
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

Medical definitions for periosteum

periosteum
[ pĕr′ē-ŏs′tē-əm ]

n. pl. per•i•os•te•a (-tē-ə)

The thick fibrous membrane covering the entire surface of a bone except its articular cartilage and serving as an attachment for muscles and tendons.

Other words from periosteum

per′i•os′te•al (-tē-əl) adj.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.