prothesis

American  

[proth-uh-sis] / ˈprɒθ ə sɪs /

noun

plural

protheses

1. the addition of a sound or syllable at the beginning of a word, as in Spanish escala “ladder” from Latin scala.

2. Eastern Church.

   1. Also called proskomide.  the preparation and preliminary oblation of the Eucharistic elements.

   2. the table on which this is done.

   3. the part of the sanctuary or bema where this table stands.

3. (often initial capital letter) a representation of a dead person lying in state.

---

prothesis British  

/ ˈprɒθɪsɪs, prəˈθɛtɪk /

noun

1. a process in the development of a language by which a phoneme or syllable is prefixed to a word to facilitate pronunciation

   Latin ``scala'' gives Spanish ``escala'' by prothesis

2. Eastern Orthodox Church the solemn preparation of the Eucharistic elements before consecration

---

Other Word Forms

• prothetic adjective
• prothetically adverb

Etymology

Origin of prothesis

1665–75; < Late Latin < Greek próthesis a putting before. See pro- ², thesis

Example Sentences

He will also be carrying a prothesis so he can travel very short distances when he is not on his bike, although this causes him pain.

From BBC • Dec. 4, 2021

Hall, who had lost a leg in a hunting accident, had a prothesis she called Cuthbert.

From Washington Post • Nov. 17, 2021

“They won’t address my legs and they won’t do prothesis on them and they not paying me for loss of limb.”

From Fox News • Jan. 17, 2020

I've had this prothesis for nearly 10 years now, since my third child, and until now I'd always felt really good about it.

From Reuters • Dec. 26, 2011

As in S. Sophia and S. Irene, there is no prothesis or diaconicon.

From Byzantine Churches in Constantinople Their History and Architecture by Van Millingen, Alexander