dowager’s hump /dow″ijərz/ , (Nontechnical) an abnormal backward curvature of the cervical spine as a result of compression fractures of osteoporosis. Though it may occur at any age, it is most common in elderly women. The term dowager’s hump is in common usage in the clinical setting, but it is considered by some to be an impolite reference to a common problem associated with aging.
