metaplasia

American

[met-uh-pley-zhuh, -zhee-uh] / ˌmɛt əˈpleɪ ʒə, -ʒi ə /

noun

Pathology.

the transformation of one type of tissue into another.

metaplasia British

/ ˌmɛtəˈpleɪzɪə /

noun

the transformation of one kind of tissue into a different kind

"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

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

metaplastic

adjective

Etymology

Origin of metaplasia

First recorded in 1885–90; meta- + -plasia

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The area is known as a "hotspot for the development of metaplasia" -- the replacement of one type of cell by another.

From Science Daily • Apr. 11, 2024

The study offers clues into whether intestinal metaplasia cells directly transform into stomach cancer.

From Science Daily • Dec. 11, 2023

Individuals afflicted with intestinal metaplasia cells face a sixfold increased risk of succumbing to this lethal cancer.

From Science Daily • Dec. 11, 2023

“I’m not that smart. I have squamous metaplasia in my ileum.”

From New York Times • Apr. 1, 2020

Chondromata and osteochondromata may be benign but are prone to develop malignancy, and by sarcomatous or other changes, even metaplasia.

From Bronchoscopy and Esophagoscopy A Manual of Peroral Endoscopy and Laryngeal Surgery by Jackson, Chevalier

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023