Concretion

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Concretion \Con*cre"tion\, n. [L. concretio.]
     1. The process of concreting; the process of uniting or of
        becoming united, as particles of matter into a mass;
        solidification.
        [1913 Webster]
  


     2. A mass or nodule of solid matter formed by growing
        together, by congelation, condensation, coagulation,
        induration, etc.; a clot; a lump; a calculus.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              Accidental ossifications or deposits of phosphates
              of lime in certain organs . . . are called osseous
              concretions.                          --Dunglison.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. (Geol.) A rounded mass or nodule produced by an
        aggregation of the material around a center; as, the
        calcareous concretions common in beds of clay.
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  concretion
       n 1: the formation of stonelike objects within a body organ
            (e.g., the kidneys)
       2: a hard lump produced by the concretion of mineral salts;
          found in hollow organs or ducts of the body; "renal
          calculi can be very painful" [syn: {calculus}]
       3: an increase in the density of something [syn: {compaction},
          {compression}, {densification}]
       4: the union of diverse things into one body or form or group;
          the growing together of parts [syn: {coalescence}, {coalescency},
           {coalition}, {conglutination}]