Skip to learning

YOUR VOCABULARY, ONE WORD AT A TIME

ossify

Verb

IPA /ˈɒsɪfaɪ/

Understand it. Say it. Use it.

UNDERSTAND THE WORD

Meaning in plain English

To become rigid and resistant to change.

SAY IT ALOUD

Pronunciation

ossify/ˈɒsɪfaɪ/

PICTURE THE IDEA

See the meaning

Follow the idea
  1. A system once adapted readily

  2. Old procedures become fixed over time

  3. The system resists every change

A system can ossify when it becomes rigid and unable to adapt.

SEE IT IN EVERYDAY ENGLISH

Examples in context

Read the examples aloud. Notice how the word fits the sentence, then think of a situation of your own.

  1. Their once-flexible routine gradually ossified into a set of strict rules.
  2. The organisation's procedures had ossified over decades.

MAKE IT STICK

Quick word quiz

Try the question without looking back, then write a sentence of your own. You can retry as often as you like.

Can you recall the word?

Which word from this lesson matches this meaning?

To become rigid and resistant to change.
Show the answer

ossify — To become rigid and resistant to change.

Try your own sentence (optional)

Make it yours

Write one sentence using “ossify” about your own life.

Check your sentence

Does your sentence match this meaning?

To become rigid and resistant to change.

Compare: Their once-flexible routine gradually ossified into a set of strict rules.

Check the spelling and how the word fits the sentence. Your example can be different.

Self-review only. Your sentence is not automatically marked, saved or submitted.

This quiz is for practice. To save lesson completion on this device, complete the checks in the app.

Word origin

From French ossifier, based on Latin os, meaning bone.

Did you know?

Ossify also has a literal biological meaning involving the formation or hardening of bone.

Explore related words

Open a word’s lesson when available, or explore entries that use the related term.

Make the word your own

  1. Say the word aloud and read an example sentence.
  2. Write a new sentence about something familiar to you.
  3. Cover the meaning and try explaining the word in your own words.

Continue with the app’s practice check, then try a sentence of your own to mark this word complete.

Practise this word in the app

Completion and saved words stay in this browser on this device.

Share this word

Save the image or share a link to this word.

@englishskillstudio

ossify

/ˈɒsɪfaɪ/ (Verb)

“Formal and disapproving in this meaning: ossify suggests losing the ability to adapt.”

englishskillstudio.com