elephantiasis

[ el-uh-fuhn-tahy-uh-sis, -fan- ]

noun
  1. Pathology. a chronic filarial disease resulting in lymphatic obstruction, characterized by marked enlargement of the parts affected, especially of the legs and scrotum, transmitted by mosquitoes.

  2. untoward growth or development: bureaucratic elephantiasis.

Origin of elephantiasis

1
1575–85; <Latin <Greek elephantíāsis, equivalent to elephant-elephant + -iāsis-iasis

Words Nearby elephantiasis

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How to use elephantiasis in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for elephantiasis

elephantiasis

/ (ˌɛlɪfənˈtaɪəsɪs) /


noun
  1. pathol a complication of chronic filariasis, in which nematode worms block the lymphatic vessels, usually in the legs or scrotum, causing extreme enlargement of the affected area: See also filariasis

Origin of elephantiasis

1
C16: via Latin from Greek, from elephas elephant + -iasis

Derived forms of elephantiasis

  • elephantiasic (ˌɛlɪˌfæntɪˈæsɪk, ˌɛlɪfənˈtaɪəsɪk), adjective

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