prosthesis

American  

[pros-thee-sis, pros-thuh-sis] / prɒsˈθi sɪs, ˈprɒs θə sɪs /

noun

plural

prostheses

1. a device, either external or implanted, that substitutes for or supplements a missing or defective part of the body.

2. Grammar, Prosody. the addition of one or more sounds or syllables to a word or line of verse, especially at the beginning.

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prosthesis British  

/ ˈprɒsθɪsɪs, prɒsˈθiːsɪs, prɒsˈθɛtɪk /

noun

1. surgery

   1. the replacement of a missing bodily part with an artificial substitute

   2. an artificial part such as a limb, eye, or tooth

2. linguistics another word for prothesis

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prosthesis Scientific  

/ prŏs-thē′sĭs /

plural

prostheses

1. An artificial device used to replace a missing or defective body part, such as a limb or a heart valve.

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Other Word Forms

• prosthetic adjective
• prosthetically adverb

Etymology

Origin of prosthesis

1545–55; < Late Latin < Greek prósthesis a putting to, addition, equivalent to prós to + thésis a placing; thesis

Example Sentences

He later said he was fortunate to not have a prosthesis.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 28, 2026

She also has a white prosthesis in the place of one leg.

From Salon • Sep. 26, 2025

Vázquez continued to have problems with his right eye, which required seven surgeries and was eventually removed in 2016 and replaced with a prosthesis.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 3, 2024

However, there was a bigger difference between matched and mismatched trials when participants had tweezer- rather than human hands, indicating that the non-anthropomorphic prosthesis resulted in an even greater sense of embodiment.

From Science Daily • Jun. 6, 2024

“We usually don’t fit them with a preparatory prosthesis for about six months.”

From "The Running Dream" by Wendelin Van Draanen