polyp

American  

[pol-ip] / ˈpɒl ɪp /

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.

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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

• polypous adjective

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)

Example Sentences

He said microscopic amounts of blood in stool can be indicative of a polyp or early cancer.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 26, 2025

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

In one sequence, marine biologists lovingly restore a rehabbed coral polyp to a reef.

From New York Times • Apr. 21, 2024

Tests on colorectal polyp and tumor samples from human patients dovetailed with the mouse findings.

From Science Daily • Dec. 13, 2023

Slowly the waters sank among the rocks, revealing pink tables of granite, strange growths of coral, polyp, and weed.

From "Lord of the Flies" by William Golding

Related Words

• tumor