1. The shaft or central part of a long bone, between the two ends (epiphyses).
Usage: anatomy; medical

Examples

• The diaphysis of the femur is the longest and strongest part of the thighbone.
• During childhood, the diaphysis and epiphyses are separated by cartilage.
• Fractures of the diaphysis are common in long bones like the tibia and fibula.
• The diaphysis contains the medullary cavity, which houses bone marrow.
• As a person grows, the diaphysis lengthens through endochondral ossification.