Definition of EXCRESCENCE

excrescence

Plural: excrescences

Noun

  • something that bulges out or is protuberant or projects from its surroundings
    • "the bony excrescence between its horns"
  • (pathology) an abnormal outgrowth or enlargement of some part of the body
  • Something, usually abnormal, which grows out of something else.
  • A disfiguring or unwanted mark or adjunct.
  • The epenthesis of a consonant, e.g., warmth as [ˈwɔrmpθ] (adding a [p] between [m] and [θ]), or -t (Etymology 2).

Origin / Etymology

From Middle English, early 15th century, in sense “(action of) growing out (of something else)”. Borrowed from Latin excrescentia (“abnormal growths”), from excrescentem, from excrēscere, from ex- (“out”) (English ex-) + crēscere (“to grow”) (English crescent). Sense of “abnormal growth” from 1570s, from earlier excrescency (1540s in this sense).

Scrabble Score: 24

excrescence: valid Scrabble (US) TWL Word
excrescence: valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
excrescence: valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 28

excrescence: valid Words With Friends Word