What medical term describes the hardening of tissue?

The term that describes the hardening of tissue is "sclerosis." This term originates from the Greek word "skleros," which means "hard." Sclerosis typically refers to the abnormal hardening of body tissue, which can occur due to a variety of conditions, including chronic inflammation or scarring. When tissues harden, they may lose their normal function, leading to various health issues depending on the affected area of the body, such as in multiple sclerosis where nerve tissue becomes hardened, affecting communication between the brain and the body.

The other terms refer to different medical conditions: cirrhosis relates to degeneration of liver tissue, often due to long-term damage; fibrosis describes the formation of excess fibrous connective tissue, which can also lead to tissue hardening but is a broader term; and stenosis refers to the abnormal narrowing of a passage in the body, which does not necessarily imply hardening but rather constriction. Thus, sclerosis is the most specific term for the hardening of tissue.