polyp

American  

[pol-ip] / ˈpɒl ɪp /

noun

• polyps
  plural

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.

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polyp British  

/ 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

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polyp Scientific  

/ pŏl′ĭp /

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.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• polypous
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• polyps
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of polyp

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; see poly-, -pod)

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

polyp polyps

Its AI platform helped figure out that targeting a certain protein in the body was likely to help treat an inherited colorectal polyp disorder.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 2, 2026

This highlights the importance of screening strategies and follow up colonoscopy schedules that reflect differences between polyp types.

From Science Daily ● Mar. 13, 2026

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 ● Dec. 8, 2024

In fact, during one of her sessions, Nyong’o injured her vocal cords, which forced her to remain silent for three months to avoid surgery for the polyp that had formed on her throat.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 6, 2024

Preformationism assumed that new life was never created, yet in 1741 Abraham Trembley showed that you could cut a polyp into a dozen pieces and it would turn into a dozen polyps.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton

Coral is made up of tiny individual animals called polyps, which maintain a symbiotic relationship with microscopic algae that live within their tissues.

From Barron's ● Sep. 10, 2026

It received Food and Drug Administration approval for the polyps procedure in 2025.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 4, 2026

There are three ways to look for colon cancer and polyps located in the intestinal lining.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 4, 2026

It can also check for polyps which can develop into cancer.

From BBC ● Mar. 31, 2026

An ocean teeming with sea life, from tiny coral polyps to massive whales to birds skimming the surface of the waves.

From "Clairboyance" by Kristiana Kahakauwila

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Related Words

• tumor

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