phossy jaw
/ (ˈfɒsɪ) /
noun
a gangrenous condition of the lower jawbone caused by prolonged exposure to phosphorus fumes
Origin of phossy jaw
1C19: phossy, colloquial shortening of phosphorus
Words Nearby phossy jaw
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
How to use phossy jaw in a sentence
The inhalation of the fumes of phosphorus, as in making vermin-killers, etc., gives rise to 'phossy-jaw.'
Aids to Forensic Medicine and Toxicology | W. G. Aitchison Robertson
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