Adjacent Words

Epiphysis definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

EPIPH'YSIS
EPIPH'YSY , n. [Gr. to grow.] Accretion; the growing of one bone to another by simple contiguity, without a proper articulation.
The spongy extremity of a bone; any portion of a bone growing on another, but separated from it by a cartilage.
Epiphyses are appendixes of the long bones, for the purpose of articulation, formed from a distinct center of ossification, and in the young subject connected with the larger bones by an intervening cartilage, which in the adult is obliterated.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: the end of a long bone; initially separated from the main bone by a layer of cartilage that eventually ossifies so the parts become fused
2: a small endocrine gland in the brain; situated beneath the back part of the corpus callosum; secretes melatonin [syn: pineal gland, pineal body, epiphysis cerebri, epiphysis]

Merriam Webster's

noun (plural epiphyses) Etymology: New Latin, from Greek, growth, from epiphyesthai to grow on, from epi- + phyesthai to grow, middle voice of phyein to bring forth — more at be Date: 1634 1. a part or process of a bone that ossifies separately and later becomes ankylosed to the main part of the bone; especially an end of a long bone 2. pineal gland

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. (pl. epiphyses) Anat. 1 the end part of a long bone, initially growing separately from the shaft. 2 = pineal body. Etymology: mod.L f. Gk epiphusis (as EPI-, phusis growth)

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Pineal Pi"ne*al, a. [L. pinea the cone of a pine, from pineus of the pine, from pinus a pine: cf. F. pin['e]ale.] Of or pertaining to a pine cone; resembling a pine cone. Pineal gland (Anat.), a glandlike body in the roof of the third ventricle of the vertebrate brain; -- called also pineal body, epiphysis, conarium. In some animals it is connected with a rudimentary eye, the so-called pineal eye, and in other animals it is supposed to be the remnant of a dorsal median eye.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Epiphysis E*piph"y*sis, n.; pl. Epiphyses. [NL., fr. Gr. 'epi`fysis, fr. 'epify`ein to grow upon; 'epi` upon + fy`ein to grow.] (Anat.) (a) The end, or other superficial part, of a bone, which ossifies separately from the central portion, or diaphysis. (b) The cerebral epiphysis, or pineal gland. See Pineal gland, under Pineal.