Origin: Greek suffix -osis
Sclerosis has 2 different meanings across 1 category:
any pathological hardening or thickening of tissue
"The doctor diagnosed the patient with atherosclerosis, noting that the arterial walls had undergone significant pathological hardening due to plaque buildup."
The abnormal hardening of body tissues, such as an artery.
"The patient's diagnosis of atherosclerosis was confirmed when imaging revealed severe sclerosis within his carotid arteries."
In plain English: Sclerosis is when tissue becomes hard and stiff because it has too much scar-like material growing inside it.
"The doctor explained that his memory problems were caused by the sclerosis affecting his brain tissue."
Usage: This medical term refers specifically to pathological hardening and should not be used metaphorically in casual contexts. It is distinct from general stiffening or calcification unless specified by a clinician.
The word sclerosis comes from Ancient Greek, where it originally meant "hardening." It entered English through the combination of a root meaning "hard" and a suffix indicating a condition or process.