verb · 7 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
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
UK:/ˈɒs.ɪ.faɪ/
US:/ˈɑ.sə.faɪ/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -aɪ
CMU ARPABET:AA1 S AH0 F AY2
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
verb
Meaning 1
To transform (or cause to transform) from a softer animal substance into bone; particularly the processes of growth in humans and animals.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: ambitransitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: deossify
2
verb
Meaning 2
To become (or cause to become) inflexible and rigid in habits or opinions.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: ambitransitive, animate
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: harden
Antonyms: none provided
3
verb
Meaning 3
To grow (or cause to grow) formulaic and permanent.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: ambitransitive, inanimate
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
verb
Meaning 4
To calcify.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: rare
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
verb
Meaning 5
become bony
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
The tissue ossified
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: change state, turn
6
verb
Meaning 6
cause to become hard and bony
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
The disease ossified the tissue
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: change, alter, modify
7
verb
Meaning 7
make rigid and set into a conventional pattern
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
rigidify the training schedule
ossified teaching methods
slogans petrify our thinking
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: rigidify, petrify
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: stiffen
History
Etymology
Back-formation from ossification, or modeled on French ossifier and formed from Latin os, ossis (“bone”) + -ify.
Across languages
Translations
32 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Bulgarian:
вкостенявам се
(vkostenjavam se)
— to transform into bone
Catalan:
ossificar
— to transform into bone
Chinese Mandarin:
骨化
(gǔhuà)
— to transform into bone
Dutch:
verbenen
— to transform into bone
Esperanto:
ostiĝi
— to transform into bone
Finnish:
luutua
— to transform into bone
Finnish:
luuduttaa
— to transform into bone
French:
ossifier
— to transform into bone
Galician:
osificar
— to transform into bone
Italian:
ossificare
— to transform into bone
Polish:
kostnieć
— to transform into bone
Portuguese:
ossificar
— to transform into bone
Romanian:
osifica
— to transform into bone
Russian:
костенеть
(kostenetʹ)
— to transform into bone
Russian:
превраща́ть в кость
(prevraščátʹ v kostʹ)
— to transform into bone
Russian:
превраща́ться в кость
(prevraščátʹsja v kostʹ)
— to transform into bone
Spanish:
osificar
— to transform into bone
Turkish:
kemikleşmek
— to transform into bone
Ukrainian:
костеніти
(kostenity)
— to transform into bone
Ukrainian:
перетворюватися на кістку
(peretvorjuvatysja na kistku)
— to transform into bone
Ukrainian:
перетворювати на кістку
(peretvorjuvaty na kistku)
— to transform into bone
Finnish:
luutua
— to become inflexible in habits or opinions
Finnish:
luuduttaa
— to become inflexible in habits or opinions
Russian:
черстветь
(čerstvetʹ)
— to become inflexible in habits or opinions
Russian:
грубеть
(grubetʹ)
— to become inflexible in habits or opinions
Russian:
ожесточать
(ožestočatʹ)
— to become inflexible in habits or opinions
Russian:
де́лать бесчувственным
(délatʹ besčuvstvennym)
— to become inflexible in habits or opinions
Ukrainian:
черствіти
(čerstvity)
— to become inflexible in habits or opinions
Ukrainian:
ставати консервативним
(stavaty konservatyvnym)
— to become inflexible in habits or opinions
Finnish:
vakiintua
— to grow formulaic and permanent
Finnish:
vakiinnuttaa
— to grow formulaic and permanent
Ukrainian:
закріплятися
(zakripljatysja)
— to grow formulaic and permanent
