prosthesis
Americannoun
-
a device, either external or implanted, that substitutes for or supplements a missing or defective part of the body.
-
Grammar, Prosody. the addition of one or more sounds or syllables to a word or line of verse, especially at the beginning.
noun
-
surgery
-
the replacement of a missing bodily part with an artificial substitute
-
an artificial part such as a limb, eye, or tooth
-
-
linguistics another word for prothesis
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of prosthesis
1545–55; < Late Latin < Greek prósthesis a putting to, addition, equivalent to prós to + thésis a placing; see thesis
Explanation
In medicine, a prosthesis is an artificial body part meant to replace one that's missing. If you were born with only one arm, doctors might fit you with a prosthesis to fill in for your missing arm. When someone loses a body part because of illness or an accident (or if they're born without a limb or another body part), they sometimes have the option to get a prosthesis. Some prostheses are very simple duplicates of the absent part, while others are extremely complex devices. Some limb prostheses are even "robotic," allowing their users to move them as if they were real. In Greek, prosthesis means "addition."
Vocabulary lists containing prosthesis
A Thousand Splendid Suns
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Feed
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
The Bean Trees
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
“Equipped with a prosthesis simulating a glass eye over his pupil,” we are told, Mr. Day-Lewis “practiced hitting it with the tip of his knife without batting an eyelid.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026
Members of the 22-strong swimming group patrolled the beach in hopes of finding her lost prosthesis, but they had no luck.
From BBC • Feb. 11, 2026
The participants used the prosthesis in their daily lives to read books, food labels and subway signs.
From Science Daily • Oct. 22, 2025
She also has a white prosthesis in the place of one leg.
From Salon • Sep. 26, 2025
He slides up a leg of his black jeans and takes off a black, high-topped sneaker, then a prosthesis.
From "Enrique's Journey" by Sonia Nazario
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
