Excrescencies

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Growths or formations that protrude or develop abnormally on a body
2. outgrowths or irregularities that emerge, typically in a biological or medical context
3. unusual or excessive projections that arise from a surface, commonly indicating some form of abnormality

Etymology: "Excrescencies" is the plural of "excrescency," an older variant of "excrescence." Both come from the Latin verb "excrescere," which joined "ex-," meaning "out," to "crescere," meaning "to grow." An excrescence was therefore literally something that grows out of something else, with no sense of fault or blemish. The same root gives us "crescent," the growing curve of the moon, and "crescendo," a sound that grows louder. The negative tone came later, as the noun narrowed to growths that seem superfluous or out of place, such as warts, swellings, or irregular protrusions on a body or plant. Today it is used mainly in biological and medical contexts, and the plural form simply refers to several such growths.

Synonyms: growths, outgrowths, protrusions, lumps, bumps