sclerosis

From Ancient Greek σκλήρωσις (sklḗrōsis, “hardening”), from σκληρόω (sklēróō, “to harden”), from σκληρός (sklērós, “hard”).

• IPA^(key): /skləˈɹəʊsɪs/
• Rhymes: -əʊsɪs

sclerosis (countable and uncountable, plural scleroses)

1. (pathology) The abnormal hardening of body tissues, such as an artery; the appearance of hardenings, indurations, lesions, nodules.
2. Inability to create change or excessive resistance to change.
   • 2019 December 6, Charles Hugh Smith, Suppressing Dissent Guarantees Disorder and Collapse‎:

     Suppressing dissent dooms the society to sclerosis, decline and collapse.

• sclera

• “sclerosis”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
• “sclerosis”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.