Noun: apophysis (apophyses) u'pó-fi-sis
- (anatomy) a natural outgrowth or projection on an organ or body part such as the process of a vertebra
"The spinous apophysis of the vertebra provides attachment points for muscles"
- (botany) a natural swelling or enlargement: at the base of the stalk or seta in certain mosses or on the cone scale of certain conifers
"The apophysis on the pine cone helped identify the species"
Derived forms: apophyses
Type of: appendage, enation, outgrowth, plant process, process
Part of: vertebra
Encyclopedia: Apophysis