ankylosis

• anchylosis

From Ancient Greek ἀγκύλωσις (ankúlōsis, “a stiffening of the joints”), from ἀγκυλόειν (ankulóein, “to crook, bend”), from ἀγκύλος (ankúlos, “bent, crooked”).

ankylosis (countable and uncountable, plural ankyloses)

1. (anatomy) The growing together of bones to form a single unit.
2. (medicine) The stiffening of a joint as the result of such abnormal fusion.
3. (figuratively) An onset of stiffness or inflexibility.
   • 1914, Brand Whitlock, Forty Years of It‎, introduction:

     Yet in using the word democracy, one must plead for a distinction, or, better, a reversion, indicated by the curious anchylosis that, at a certain point in their maturity, usually sets in upon words newly put in use to express some august and large spiritual reality.

• ankylosis on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• ankylosis in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• ankylosis at OneLook Dictionary Search