Henry Moore

Since the Gothic, European sculpture has become overgrown with moss, weeds - all sorts of surface excrescences which completely concealed shape. It has been Brancusi's special mission to get rid of this overgrowth and to make us once more shape-conscious.

English Sculptor

Commonly used in medical contexts to describe unusual growths on skin or plants.

Medical Usage

The word carries no negative or positive feeling when describing a growth.

Neutral Tone

Doesn't imply harm; an excrescence can be harmless or of concern depending on the context.

Not Always Harmful

Often used in a critical way to describe something seen as an unnecessary addition to culture.

Cultural Critique

In social contexts, implies that the item is unsightly or unwanted.

Negative Connotation

Use can be subjective, what one considers an excrescence another may not.

Excrescence