1. Plural of apophysis; small bony projections or outgrowths from a bone or other structure.
Usage: anatomy; medical
2. In geology, small offshoots or branches of an igneous rock mass that extend into surrounding rock.
Usage: geology; technical

Examples

• The vertebrae have several apophyses that serve as attachment points for muscles and ligaments.
• Radiologists identified small apophyses on the patient's shoulder blade.
• During skeletal development, apophyses gradually fuse to the main bone.
• The geologist noted apophyses of granite extending into the surrounding metamorphic rock.
• These bony apophyses become more prominent as the skeleton matures.