prosthesis

[ pros-thee-sis for 1; pros-thuh-sis for 2 ]
See synonyms for prosthesis on Thesaurus.com
noun,plural pros·the·ses [pros-thee-seez for 1; pros-thuh-seez for 2 ]. /prɒsˈθi siz for 1; ˈprɒs θəˌsiz for 2 /.
  1. a device, either external or implanted, that substitutes for or supplements a missing or defective part of the body.

  2. Grammar, Prosody. the addition of one or more sounds or syllables to a word or line of verse, especially at the beginning.

Origin of prosthesis

1
1545–55; <Late Latin <Greek prósthesis a putting to, addition, equivalent to prós to + thésis a placing; see thesis

Other words from prosthesis

  • pros·thet·ic [pros-thet-ik], /prɒsˈθɛt ɪk/, adjective
  • pros·thet·i·cal·ly, adverb

Words Nearby prosthesis

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How to use prosthesis in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for prosthesis

prosthesis

/ (ˈprɒsθɪsɪs, prɒsˈθiːsɪs) /


nounplural -ses (-ˌsiːz)
  1. surgery

    • the replacement of a missing bodily part with an artificial substitute

    • an artificial part such as a limb, eye, or tooth

  2. linguistics another word for prothesis

Origin of prosthesis

1
C16: via Late Latin from Greek: an addition, from prostithenai to add, from pros- towards + tithenai to place

Derived forms of prosthesis

  • prosthetic (prɒsˈθɛtɪk), adjective
  • prosthetically, adverb

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for prosthesis

prosthesis

[ prŏs-thēsĭs ]


Plural prostheses (prŏs-thēsēz)
  1. An artificial device used to replace a missing or defective body part, such as a limb or a heart valve.

Other words from prosthesis

  • prosthetic adjective (prŏs-thĕtĭk)

The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.