noun

sclerosis

skluh-ROH-sihs

noun

A medical condition in which body tissue, such as an artery, hardens abnormally.

"Multiple sclerosis damages the coating around nerve fibres."

"Arterial sclerosis reduces blood flow to the heart."

A resistance to change, especially in an organization or system that has become rigid.

"Critics blamed the company's decline on years of managerial sclerosis."

How to Use Sclerosis

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishLiterally, tissue turning hard when it should stay flexible; figuratively, an organization or process getting too rigid to adapt.

Common pairings

multiple sclerosis arterial sclerosis bureaucratic sclerosis

scleroses plural

Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.

Can you complete this real example?

Multiple _____ damages the coating around nerve fibres.

From Ancient Greek sklerosis, "hardening," from skleros, "hard."

necrosis neurosis hypnosis fibrosis diagnosis prognosis symbiosis halitosis psychosis cirrhosis scoliosis thrombosis