excrescence.

1. An abnormal or unwanted growth or projection on an organism or surface.

2. An ugly or unnecessary addition that spoils a larger whole.

Use it for

Words that belong together

• a fleshy excrescence
• an irregular excrescence

On the page

A pale excrescence had formed beside the joint since the last examination.

Usage notes

Primary category: horror / gothic. Forms: Singular excrescence; plural excrescences. Legacy lexical fields mirror sense 1 only. Use numbered sense fields for all meanings. Established modern English lexical item. No separate regional spelling or grammatical inflection entry. Writing functions: description, atmosphere. Commonness: uncommon.