polyp

[pol-ip]

noun

1. Zoology.

   1. a sedentary type of animal form characterized by a more or less fixed base, columnar body, and free end with mouth and tentacles, especially as applied to coelenterates.

   2. an individual zooid of a compound or colonial organism.

2. Pathology.,  a projecting growth from a mucous surface, as of the nose, being either a tumor or a hypertrophy of the mucous membrane.

polyp

/ ˈpɒlɪp /

noun

1. zoology one of the two forms of individual that occur in coelenterates. It usually has a hollow cylindrical body with a ring of tentacles around the mouth Compare medusa

2. Also called: polypus. pathol a small vascularized growth arising from the surface of a mucous membrane, having a rounded base or a stalklike projection

polyp

1. A cnidarian in its sedentary stage. Polyps have hollow, tube-shaped bodies with a central mouth on top surrounded by tentacles. Some cnidarians, such as corals and sea anemones, only exist as polyps after their larval stage, while others turn into medusas as adults or lack a polyp stage completely.

2. Compare medusa

3. An abnormal growth extending from a mucous membrane, as of the intestine.

Other Word Forms

• polypous adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of polyp¹

1350–1400; Middle English polip, short for polipus nasal tumor (later, also cephalopod, now obsolete) < Medieval Latin, Latin pōlypus < dialectal Greek poulýpous octopus, nasal tumor ( Attic polýpous, genitive polýpodos; poly-, -pod )

Word History and Origins

Origin of polyp¹

C16 polip, from French polype nasal polyp, from Latin pōlypus sea animal, nasal polyp, from Greek polupous having many feet

Example Sentences

The “Hannah Montana” star also opened up about a polyp on her vocal cords, which makes live performances feel like “running a marathon with the weights on,” and her sobriety journey.

From Los Angeles Times

Other conditions noted in his medical history included a past Covid infection, rosacea, which is a skin condition often causing redness in the face, and a benign colon polyp.

From BBC

Amy, a lawyer from London, was forced to think about children after finding out she had a polyp in her womb - which could impact her chances of conceiving.

From BBC

Though underwater corals may look like rocks, they are actually made out of millions of tiny animals called “polyps”.

From NewsForKids.net

The cancers are often grouped together because they have many features in common and occur when malignant polyps develop in either of the digestive organs.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• tumor