ossify

Verb

ossify (third-person singular simple present ossifies, present participle ossifying, simple past and past participle ossified)

1. (ambitransitive) To transform (or cause to transform) from a softer animal substance into bone; particularly the processes of growth in humans and animals.
   • […], nor do all bones of the same skeleton ossify during the samе period of time.1884, Arthur C. Cole, Studies in Microscopical Science, page 35

   Antonyms:

   deossify

2. (ambitransitive, animate) To become (or cause to become) inflexible and rigid in habits or opinions.
   • Before long, the entire organization ossifies.1996, Peter Schwartz, The Art of the Long View, →ISBN, page 96
   • Possession of absolute knowledge would ossify the human spirit, quenching human creativity;2006, Michael S. Jones, Metaphysics of Religion: Lucian Blaga and Contemporary Philosophy, →ISBN, page 79

   Synonyms:

   harden

3. (ambitransitive, inanimate) To grow (or cause to grow) formulaic and permanent.
   • This accidental repartition gets repeated, develops advantages of its own, and gradually ossifies into a systematic division of labour.1886, Samuel Moore, “Chapter 14”, in Capital, volume I, translation of original by Karl Marx
   • Now, in turn, we apply a revolutionary critique that […] ossifies into a rhetoric to become "the monstrous Latin of a monstrous church."2001, Kevin O'Neill, David Suchoff, The Wisdom of Love, translation of original by Alain Finkielkraut, →ISBN, page 55
4. (rare) To calcify.
   • The cartilages become brittle, and in many instances are ossified; the ligaments are rendered harder, but are less capable of resisting extension.1850, Roxey Ann Caplin, “Chapter X”, in Health and Beauty