osteoporosis

noun

os·​te·​o·​po·​ro·​sis ˌä-stē-ō-pə-ˈrō-səs How to pronounce osteoporosis (audio)
plural osteoporoses ˌä-stē-ō-pə-ˈrō-ˌsēz How to pronounce osteoporosis (audio)
: a condition that affects especially older women and is characterized by decrease in bone mass with decreased density and enlargement of bone spaces producing porosity and fragility
osteoporotic
ˌä-stē-ō-pə-ˈrä-tik How to pronounce osteoporosis (audio)
adjective

Examples of osteoporosis in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Do not wait, especially for hip, back, wrist and head injuries, and for anyone taking blood thinners or living with osteoporosis, diabetes, or heart disease. — Michael Swartzon, Miami Herald, 15 Oct. 2026 Calcium and vitamin D are essential for bone health and could potentially help prevent osteoporosis. — Tom Gavin, EverydayHealth.com, 30 Sep. 2026 These medications are so wonderful because people with osteoporosis or osteopenia who take them have a lower risk of morbidity and mortality associated with hip fractures and vertebral compression fractures. — Stephanie Brown, Verywell Health, 25 Sep. 2026 Eli Lilly is recruiting scientists to work on osteoporosis therapies, according to Bloomberg. — Allison Deangelis, STAT, 23 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for osteoporosis

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from oste- + porosis rarefaction, from porus pore + -osis

First Known Use

1841, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of osteoporosis was in 1841

Rhymes for osteoporosis

See All Rhymes for osteoporosis

Browse Nearby Words

osteoplasty
osteoporosis
osteoporotic
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Osteoporosis.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/osteoporosis. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

osteoporosis

noun
os·​te·​o·​po·​ro·​sis ˌäs-tē-ō-pə-ˈrō-səs How to pronounce osteoporosis (audio)
: a condition affecting especially older women that is characterized by weak bones that are easily broken

Medical Definition

osteoporosis

noun
os·​teo·​po·​ro·​sis ˌäs-tē-ō-pə-ˈrō-səs How to pronounce osteoporosis (audio)
plural osteoporoses -ˌsēz How to pronounce osteoporosis (audio)
: a condition that affects especially older women and is characterized by decrease in bone mass with decreased density and enlargement of bone spaces producing porosity and brittleness
osteoporotic
-ˈrät-ik How to pronounce osteoporosis (audio)
adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on osteoporosis

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about osteoporosis

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of jilt

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Can' vs. 'May'

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
artwork of illustrated limes with the text limes and smile with an arrow connecting the two words
Quiz: Spot the Anagram! Scramble these words to find new words with the e...
See All