sclerosis

noun

A thickening or hardening of a body part, as of an artery, especially from excessive formation of fibrous interstitial tissue.

noun

A disease characterized by this thickening or hardening.

noun

The hardening of cells by the formation of a secondary wall and the deposition of lignin.

noun

A hardening or induration; specifically, the increase of the sustentacular tissue (neuroglia, or connective tissue) of a part at the expense of the more active tissue.

noun

In botany, the induration of a tissue or cell-wall either by thickening of the membranes or by their lignification (that is, by the formation of lignin in them).

noun

Induration; hardening; especially, that form of induration produced in an organ by increase of its interstitial connective tissue.

noun

Hardening of the cell wall by lignification.

noun

an affection in which patches of hardening, produced by increase of the neuroglia and atrophy of the true nerve tissue, are found scattered throughout the brain and spinal cord. It is associated with complete or partial paralysis, a peculiar jerking tremor of the muscles, headache, and vertigo, and is usually fatal. Formerly referred to as multiple sclerosis, disseminated sclerosis, or insular sclerosis, but now usually called only multiple sclerosis, or MS.

noun

The abnormal hardening of body tissues, such as an artery.