Adjacent Words

Excrescence definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

EXCRES'CENCE, n. [L. excrescens, from excresco; ex and cresco, to grow.] In surgery, a preternatural protuberance growing on any part of the body, as a wart or a tubercle; a superfluous part.
1. Any preternatural enlargement of a plant, like a wart or tumor; or something growing out from a plant.
2. A preternatural production.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: something that bulges out or is protuberant or projects from its surroundings; "the gun in his pocket made an obvious bulge"; "the hump of a camel"; "he stood on the rocky prominence"; "the occipital protuberance was well developed"; "the bony excrescence between its horns" [syn: bulge, bump, hump, swelling, gibbosity, gibbousness, jut, prominence, protuberance, protrusion, extrusion, excrescence]
2: (pathology) an abnormal outgrowth or enlargement of some part of the body

Merriam Webster's

noun Date: 15th century 1. a projection or outgrowth especially when abnormal <warty excrescences in the colon> 2. a disfiguring, extraneous, or unwanted mark or part ; blot 3. by-product 2

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. 1 an abnormal or morbid outgrowth on the body or a plant. 2 an ugly addition. Derivatives: excrescent adj. excrescential adj. Etymology: L excrescentia (as EX-(1), crescere grow)

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Excrescence Ex*cres"cencen. [F. excrescence, excroissanse, L. excrescentia excrescences, neut. pl. of p. pr. of excrescere. See Excrescent.] An excrescent appendage, as, a wart or tumor; anything growing out unnaturally from anything else; a preternatural or morbid development; hence, a troublesome superfluity; an incumbrance; as, an excrescence on the body, or on a plant. ``Excrescences of joy.'' --Jer. Taylor. The excrescences of the Spanish monarchy. --Addison.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(excrescences) If you describe something such as a building, addition, or development as an excrescence, you strongly disapprove of it because you think it is unnecessary, bad, or ugly. (LITERARY) ...an architectural excrescence... The trade union block vote is an excrescence on democracy. = blot N-COUNT: usu with supp, oft N on n [disapproval]

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

n. 1. Wart, tumor, morbid protuberance or growth. 2. Superfluity, useless outgrowth, deforming attachment or appendage.