A benign bony growth or tumor that develops on the surface of a bone, usually near joints.
From Greek 'exo-' (outside) + 'osteon' (bone) + '-osis' (pathological condition). Medical term standardized in anatomical literature by the 18th century to distinguish it from other bone abnormalities.
If you've ever felt a mysterious hard bump near your knee or ankle, it might be an exostosis—they're usually harmless but can be annoying if they press on nerves or tendons, and they typically stop growing when you finish growing.
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