prosthesis

American  

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

noun

• prostheses
  plural

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 /

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 /

• prostheses
  plural

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

Derived Forms

• prosthetic
  adjective
• prosthetically
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• prostheses
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of prosthesis

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

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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."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

prosthesis prostheses

The prosthesis helped him return to weaving, but that was not his only source of income.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 7, 2026

"It wasn't so easy to paint back then, but now everything is very different," says Cristian Juarez, a 29-year-old who works with a prosthesis after losing his right leg in an accident 11 years ago.

From Barron's ● Aug. 17, 2026

He previously built a running prosthesis from cut-price components he found online and has now tested his second home-made limb in the sea.

From BBC ● May 14, 2026

“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

I see hope as Jimmy takes a shaky step with his prosthesis.

From "Lucky Broken Girl" by Ruth Behar

While many prostheses are designed to restore appearance, some also serve a practical purpose.

From BBC ● Oct. 13, 2026

The researchers describe the compounds as "molecular prostheses" because they allow the retina to respond to light again without implanted hardware or genetic modification.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 28, 2026

The most recent work, Berenice Olmedo’s “Amalia,” a motorized sculpture of a leg made from medical prostheses, splints and braces, was created in 2021, a comment on difficulties faced by the disabled.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 1, 2026

The centre was set up around 60 years ago by a Belgian Catholic association and has a workshop for producing prostheses, splints and braces.

From Barron's ● Dec. 21, 2025

She asks him for ideas on how to make money to pay for medicines and prostheses.

From "Enrique's Journey" by Sonia Nazario

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