pterygium

[ tuh-rij-ee-uhm ]

noun,plural pte·ryg·i·ums, pte·ryg·i·a [tuh-rij-ee-uh]. /təˈrɪdʒ i ə/. Ophthalmology.
  1. an abnormal triangular mass of thickened conjunctiva extending over the cornea and interfering with vision.

Origin of pterygium

1
1650–60; <New Latin <Greek pterýgion little wing or fin, equivalent to pteryg- (stem of ptéryx) wing, fin + -ion diminutive suffix

Other words from pterygium

  • pte·ryg·i·al, adjective

Words Nearby pterygium

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use pterygium in a sentence

  • pterygium should be removed when advancing across the cornea, especially when the pupillary area is becoming involved.

  • Each consists of a basal portion, the basi-pterygium, and of a number of dermal rays.

    The Vertebrate Skeleton | Sidney H. Reynolds
  • There is always a large basi-pterygium which lies imbedded in the muscles and meets its fellow at its proximal end.

    The Vertebrate Skeleton | Sidney H. Reynolds
  • In Chimaera all three basalia are present, but the meso-pterygium is shifted and does not articulate with the pectoral girdle.

    The Vertebrate Skeleton | Sidney H. Reynolds
  • The males in Elasmobranchii and Holocephali have the distal end of the meta-pterygium prolonged into a clasper.

    The Vertebrate Skeleton | Sidney H. Reynolds