ankylosis

• anchylosis, ancylosis

From Ancient Greek ἀγκύλωσις (ankúlōsis, “a stiffening of the joints”), from ἀγκυλόειν (ankulóein, “to crook, bend”), from ἀγκύλος (ankúlos, “bent, crooked”). By surface analysis, ankyl- +‎ -osis.

ankylosis (countable and uncountable, plural ankyloses)

1. (anatomy) The growing together of bones to form a single unit.
2. (medicine) The stiffening of a joint as the result of such abnormal fusion.
3. (figuratively) An onset of stiffness or inflexibility.
   • 1914, Brand Whitlock, Forty Years of It‎^[1], introduction:

     Yet in using the word democracy, one must plead for a distinction, or, better, a reversion, indicated by the curious anchylosis that, at a certain point in their maturity, usually sets in upon words newly put in use to express some august and large spiritual reality.

• arthrodesis (syndesis) (artificial ankylosis)

•   ankylosis on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• “ankylosis”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.
• “ankylosis”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.