fibrosis

Everyday

(medicine) A condition where too much tough, thick tissue (like scar tissue) grows in a part of the body, such as the lungs, making it stiff and not work as well. tree →

In the lessons

Children mostly hear it in «cystic fibrosis», an inherited illness that makes thick mucus in the lungs and gut, and in «pulmonary fibrosis» (scarring of the lungs) in grown-ups. In health lessons it shows how scar tissue can stop organs working. It is a doctor's word.

Examples

• My classmate has cystic fibrosis, so she takes medicine before lunch. tree →
• Fibrosis makes the lungs stiff. tree →
• The doctor explained that fibrosis is like scarring inside the body. tree →
• People with cystic fibrosis do physio to clear their lungs. tree →
• Smoking can damage the lungs and may lead to fibrosis. tree →

Note

Said «fy-BROH-sis». Uncountable. From «fibre» (thread) + «-osis» (a condition). Cystic fibrosis cannot be caught from someone.