ossi-comb. form
Stress is usually determined by a subsequent element and vowels may be reduced accordingly; see e.g.
ossiform adj.Origin: A borrowing from Latin. Etymons: Latin ossi-, os.
Etymology: < classical Latin ossi-, combining form (in e.g. ossifragus ossifrage n.) of os bone (see os n.1). Compare French ossi- (formations in which are found from at least the mid 16th cent.).Attested earliest in the early 17th cent. in loans from classical Latin (compare ossifrage n.). English formations are found from the second half of the 17th cent. (compare ossific adj., ossification n., ossivorous adj.).
This is a new entry (OED Third Edition, September 2004; most recently modified version published online December 2019).