scoliosis
Americannoun
noun
Other Word Forms
- scoliotic adjective
Etymology
Origin of scoliosis
First recorded in 1700–10, scoliosis is from the Greek word skolíōsis a bending
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How does scoliosis compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
When a person's spine curves to the side, he or she has a medical condition called scoliosis. A human spine, or backbone, is usually straight; when it curves in an S or C shape, it's often because of scoliosis. When a patient is diagnosed with scoliosis, he or she receives physical therapy and sometimes needs to wear a brace that helps to gradually straighten the spine. The Greek word skoliosis literally means "crookedness," from the root skolios, "bent or crooked."
Vocabulary lists containing scoliosis
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
With tickets to the gig booked a year ahead of the day she collected her brace, Isla said she had vowed "I'm going to get on that stage and raise awareness of scoliosis".
From BBC • Jan. 21, 2026
The technique also successfully repaired mutations linked to scoliosis in zebrafish embryos.
From Science Daily • Oct. 25, 2025
Throughout junior high school, she wore a Milwaukee brace, a corrective for severe scoliosis.
From New York Times • Nov. 29, 2024
Lamis Abusalim has severe scoliosis that, if left untreated, could compress her lungs and eventually kill her.
From BBC • Oct. 11, 2024
My mom finally took me to a doctor, who thought it was scoliosis.
From "I Will Always Write Back" by Caitlin Alifirenka and Martin Ganda
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
