polypus

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   dated medical: a polyp, especially a growth projecting from a mucous membrane

   The nineteenth-century case report describes a nasal polypus that obstructed the patient's breathing.

From Latin polypus, from Ancient Greek polypous 'many-footed', formed from poly- 'many' + pous 'foot'. The word historically named an octopus and was later applied to projecting tissue growths; polyp is the usual modern form.

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