Definition

Noun: A medical condition characterized by a decrease in bone density and quality, leading to fragile, porous bones that are more susceptible to fracture. This weakening of bone tissue is primarily due to a loss of minerals, especially calcium.

Examples of Usage

• The doctor explained that osteoporosis is often a silent disease until a fracture occurs.
• A diet rich in calcium and vitamin D is crucial for preventing osteoporosis.
• Postmenopausal women are at a higher risk of developing osteoporosis.

Advanced Usage

• "to have osteoporosis": to be diagnosed with or suffer from the condition.
  • Her grandmother has osteoporosis, so she is careful about her own bone health.
• "osteoporosis screening": a medical test, such as a bone density scan, to assess the risk or presence of the condition.
  • The clinic offers free osteoporosis screening for seniors.

Variants and Related Words

• Osteoporotic (adj): relating to or affected by osteoporosis.
  • The X-ray revealed an osteoporotic fracture in her spine.

Synonyms

• Brittle bone disease (informal term)
• Bone loss

Related Phrases

• Bone mineral density (BMD): a measurement used to diagnose osteoporosis.
• Fragility fracture: a break that occurs from minor trauma, often associated with osteoporosis.

Noun

1. abnormal loss of bony tissue resulting in fragile porous bones attributable to a lack of calcium; most common in postmenopausal women