ossify

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   To become (or cause to become) inflexible and rigid in habits or opinions.

   Before long, the entire organization ossifies.

2. 2
   verb

   To grow (or cause to grow) formulaic and permanent.

   This accidental repartition gets repeated, develops advantages of its own, and gradually ossifies into a systematic division of labour.

3. 3
   verb

   To calcify.

   The cartilages become brittle, and in many instances are ossified; the ligaments are rendered harder, but are less capable of resisting extension.

Back-formation from ossification, or modeled on French ossifier and formed from Latin os, ossis (“bone”) + -ify.

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