noun · verb · 12 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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General-American, UK:/ˈkæləs/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -æləs
homophone: callous
CMU ARPABET:K AE1 L AH0 S
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
A hardened area of the skin (especially on the foot or hand) caused by repeated friction, wear or use.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
The material of repair in fractures of bone; a substance exuded at the site of fracture, which is at first soft or cartilaginous in consistency, but is ultimately converted into true bone and unites the fragments into a single piece.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
The new formation over the end of a cutting, before it puts out rootlets.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Topics: biology, botany, natural-sciences
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
In orchids, a fleshy outgrowth from the labellum.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Topics: biology, botany, natural-sciences
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
noun
Meaning 5
In grasses, a hardened extension from the base of a floret, which may or may not elongate and is often covered in hairs or bristles.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Topics: biology, botany, natural-sciences
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
6
noun
Meaning 6
A shining area on the frons of many species of Tabanomorpha (horse flies and relatives).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Topics: biology, entomology, natural-sciences
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
7
verb
Meaning 7
To form such hardened tissue.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
8
noun
Meaning 8
(botany) an isolated thickening of tissue, especially a stiff protuberance on the lip of an orchid
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: plant process, enation
9
noun
Meaning 9
bony tissue formed during the healing of a fractured bone
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: scar, cicatrix, cicatrice
Narrower terms: chestnut
10
noun
Meaning 10
an area of skin that is thick or hard from continual pressure or friction (as the sole of the foot)
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: callosity
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: hardening
Narrower terms: corn, clavus
11
verb
Meaning 11
form a callus or calluses
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
His foot callused
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: harden, indurate
12
verb
Meaning 12
cause a callus to form on
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
The long march had callused his feet
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: harden, indurate
History
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin callum (“hard skin”). Displaced Old English wearr.
Across languages
Translations
111 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Abkhaz:
аӡа́ӷьа
(adzáğja)
— hardened part of the skin
Abkhaz:
а́мса
(ámsa)
— hardened part of the skin
Arabic:
جُسْأَة
(jusʔa)
— hardened part of the skin
Arabic:
فالول
(fālūl)
— hardened part of the skin
Armenian:
կոշտուկ
(koštuk)
— hardened part of the skin
Azerbaijani:
qabar
— hardened part of the skin
Azerbaijani:
döyənək
— hardened part of the skin
Bashkir:
һөйәл
(höyəl)
— hardened part of the skin
Bulgarian:
мазо́л
(mazól)
— hardened part of the skin
Catalan:
call
— hardened part of the skin
Catalan:
cal·lus
— hardened part of the skin
Catalan:
durícia
— hardened part of the skin
Catalan:
mula
— hardened part of the skin
Cebuano:
lupak
— hardened part of the skin
Cebuano:
kubal
— hardened part of the skin
Chinese Mandarin:
胼胝
(piánzhī)
— hardened part of the skin
Chinese Mandarin:
老繭 /老茧
(lǎojiǎn)
— hardened part of the skin
Chinese Mandarin:
繭子 /茧子
(jiǎnzi)
— hardened part of the skin
Czech:
mozol
— hardened part of the skin
Czech:
kuří oko
— hardened part of the skin
Old Czech:
kuřie řinda
— hardened part of the skin
Danish:
hård hud
— hardened part of the skin
Danish:
valk
— hardened part of the skin
Dutch:
eelt
— hardened part of the skin
Esperanto:
kaluso
— hardened part of the skin
Finnish:
känsä
— hardened part of the skin
Finnish:
kovettuma
— hardened part of the skin
French:
cal
— hardened part of the skin
French:
durillon
— hardened part of the skin
French:
calus
— hardened part of the skin
Galician:
amata
— hardened part of the skin
Galician:
calo
— hardened part of the skin
Galician:
talo
— hardened part of the skin
Gallurese:
gaddu
— hardened part of the skin
Gallurese:
incàddu
— hardened part of the skin
German:
Schwiele
— hardened part of the skin
German:
Hornhaut
— hardened part of the skin
German:
Kallus
— hardened part of the skin
Greek:
κάλος
(kálos)
— hardened part of the skin
Greek:
τύλωμα
(týloma)
— hardened part of the skin
Ancient Greek:
τύλη
(túlē)
— hardened part of the skin
Hebrew:
גרומת
(grómet)
— hardened part of the skin
Hebrew:
קלוס
(kálus)
— hardened part of the skin
Hungarian:
bőrkeményedés
— hardened part of the skin
Icelandic:
sigg
— hardened part of the skin
Ingrian:
villi
— hardened part of the skin
Italian:
callo
— hardened part of the skin
Japanese:
胼胝
— hardened part of the skin
Khmer:
ក្រិន
(krən)
— hardened part of the skin
Khmer:
ពកស្លា
(pɔɔk slaa)
— hardened part of the skin
Latin:
callum
— hardened part of the skin
Macedonian:
кла́вус
(klávus)
— hardened part of the skin
Malay:
belulang
— hardened part of the skin
Māori:
pātio
— hardened part of the skin
Navajo:
kébąąh ntłʼizgo dah naaznilígíí
— hardened part of the skin
Navajo:
kébąąh ntłʼizgo daditánígíí
— hardened part of the skin
Norwegian Bokmål:
træl
— hardened part of the skin
Norwegian Nynorsk:
træl
— hardened part of the skin
Occitan:
bast
— hardened part of the skin
Occitan:
barda
— hardened part of the skin
Old English:
wearr
— hardened part of the skin
Persian:
پینه
(pine)
— hardened part of the skin
Persian:
شغه
(šoġe)
— hardened part of the skin
Persian:
کلخچ
(kalaxč)
— hardened part of the skin
Plautdietsch:
Schwiel
— hardened part of the skin
Polish:
odcisk
— hardened part of the skin
Polish:
nagniotek
— hardened part of the skin
Portuguese:
calo
— hardened part of the skin
Quechua:
khacha
— hardened part of the skin
Romanian:
bătătură
— hardened part of the skin
Russian:
мозо́ль
(mozólʹ)
— hardened part of the skin
Campidanese Sardinian:
callu
— hardened part of the skin
Sardinian:
addu
— hardened part of the skin
Sassarese:
gaddu
— hardened part of the skin
Serbo-Croatian:
žulj
— hardened part of the skin
Sicilian:
caḍḍu
— hardened part of the skin
Slovak:
kurie oko
— hardened part of the skin
Spanish:
callo
— hardened part of the skin
Spanish:
callosidad
— hardened part of the skin
Spanish:
dureza
— hardened part of the skin
Spanish:
duricia
— hardened part of the skin
Swedish:
valk
— hardened part of the skin
Tagalog:
lipak
— hardened part of the skin
Tagalog:
kalyo
— hardened part of the skin
Tarifit:
ařeffix
— hardened part of the skin
Thai:
ผิวหนังที่ด้านหนา
(pĭw năng têe dâan năa)
— hardened part of the skin
Turkish:
nasır
— hardened part of the skin
Ottoman Turkish:
ناصور
(nasır)
— hardened part of the skin
Ukrainian:
мозо́ль
(mozólʹ)
— hardened part of the skin
Vietnamese:
chai
— hardened part of the skin
Volapük:
honaskin
— hardened part of the skin
Welsh:
caleden
— hardened part of the skin
Finnish:
uudisluu
— material of repair in fractures of bone
Finnish:
kallus
— material of repair in fractures of bone
Malay:
kalus
— material of repair in fractures of bone
Arabic:
الكالس النباتات
— botany: new formation over the end of a cutting
Armenian:
կալուս
(kalus)
— botany: new formation over the end of a cutting
Chinese Mandarin:
癒傷組織 /愈伤组织
(yùshāng zǔzhī)
— botany: new formation over the end of a cutting
Finnish:
haavasolukko
— botany: new formation over the end of a cutting
Finnish:
kallus
— botany: new formation over the end of a cutting
German:
Kallus
— botany: new formation over the end of a cutting
Persian:
پینه
(pīne)
— botany: new formation over the end of a cutting
Chinese Mandarin:
長繭 /长茧
(zhǎng jiǎn)
— to form hardened tissue
Finnish:
känsittyä
— to form hardened tissue
German:
verhornen
— to form hardened tissue
Italian:
incallire
— to form hardened tissue
Māori:
pātio
— to form hardened tissue
Portuguese:
calejar
— to form hardened tissue
Portuguese:
encalecer
— to form hardened tissue
Turkish:
nasırlanmak
— to form hardened tissue
Ottoman Turkish:
ناصورلانمق
(nasırlanmak)
— to form hardened tissue