# apophysis

> English word · Noun · IPA /əˈpɒfɪsɪs/

## Definitions
1. A natural outgrowth, swelling or enlargement, usually of an organism; a protuberance on a bone.
2. The external part of a cone scale.
3. A branch of a dike or vein.

## Etymology
From Ancient Greek ἀπόφυσις (apóphusis, “offshoot”), from ἀπό (apó) + φύω (phúō, “to bring forth”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰuH- (“to exist, to grow”). Equivalent to apo- + -physis.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/apophysis