osteoclast

osteoclast definition - medical

os·te·o·clast (ŏsˈtē-ə-klăstˌ)

noun
  1. A large multinucleate cell found in growing bone that resorbs bony tissue, as in the formation of canals and cavities. Also called osteophage.
  2. An instrument used in surgical osteoclasis.

Related Forms:

  • osˌte·o·clasˈtic adjective

The American Heritage® Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Comments
Improve this definition.
Do you have more to add? Share your linguistic knowledge or observation.
/Register to save your comments.