prosthetic

American  

[pros-thet-ik] / prɒsˈθɛt ɪk /

adjective

1. of or relating to an artificial body part or prosthesis.

   He was fitted for a prosthetic arm.

2. of or relating to the fields of surgical or dental prosthetics.

   advances in prosthetic technology.

3. of or relating to a substance, item, or process used to transform a person’s appearance temporarily, especially as a theatrical special effect.

   The final scene required painstaking application of prosthetic hair and skin.

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noun

1. an artificial body part; a prosthesis.

   Hundreds of amputees volunteered to test the new prosthetics.

2. an appearance-altering substance or item applied temporarily to a person’s face or body, especially to create a theatrical special effect.

   Alien creatures are brought to life with realistic prosthetics.

Other Word Forms

• prosthetically adverb

Etymology

Origin of prosthetic

1735–40; < Modern Latin prostheticus, from Hellenistic Greek prosthetikós, equivalent to prósthet(os) “added on,” verbid of prostithе́nai “to add, put onto” ( pros- pros- ( def. ). + the-, stem of tithе́nai “to put, place” + -tos verbid suffix) + -ikos -ic ( def. )