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; poly-, -pod )

Example Sentences

During the biopsy, which found a polyp on her cervix which was then removed without warning, Mrs Lord repeatedly said it was "really painful" but was not offered pain relief, she said.

From BBC

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

From The Wall Street Journal

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

Related Words

• tumor