ossify

• POS: Verb (usu participle), Verb (intransitive)
• HYPHEN: os=si=fy

CIDE DICTIONARY

ossify, v. t. [L. os, ossis, bone + -fy: cf. F. ossifier. See Osseous.].

•  To form into bone; to change from a soft animal substance into bone, as by the deposition of lime salts.  [1913 Webster]
•  To harden; as, to ossify the heart.  Ruskin.  [1913 Webster]

ossify, v. i. 

 To become bone; to change from a soft tissue to a hard bony tissue.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

ossify, v.tr. & intr. (-ies, -ied)
1 turn into bone; harden.
2 make or become rigid, callous, or unprogressive.

Derivative

ossific adj. ossification n.

Etymology

F ossifier f. L os ossis bone

THESAURUS

ossify

anneal, brutalize, calcify, callous, case harden, cornify, firm, fossilize, harden, indurate, inure, lapidify, lithify, petrify, steel, temper, toughen, vitrify

ROGET THESAURUS

ossify

Hardness

VB render hard, harden, stiffen, indurate, petrify, temper, ossify, vitrify, accrust.