You searched for: “prostheses
prosthesis (prahs THEE sis, proh THEE sis) (s) (noun), prostheses (pl)
1. A man-made device used to replace a missing body part; such as, an arm, a tooth, or an eye: A few examples of prostheses that are used to restore normal functions include false legs or arms that are provided after amputations or an artificial heart valve that is used to supplant the opening and closing of that organ because of an injury or a disease.
2. A device to augment the performance of a natural function: A hearing aid is another example of a prosthesis.

Prostheses are also used for cosmetic reasons; such as, a breast prosthesis that is fitted after a mastectomy, or the removal of a breast, and a glass eye which is inserted to replace a diseased eye which has had to be surgically removed.

3. In linguistics, the addition of a letter or a syllable to a word: One example of a language prostheses is when an "s" is added to words to make them plurals; such as, book > books, plant > plants, cartoon > cartoons, etc.
4. Etymology: from Latin and Greek prosthesis, "addition of a letter" or "syllable to a word"; from prostithenai, "add to"; from pros, "to" + tithenai, "to put, to place".

The reference to "artificial body part" is first recorded in 1706.

Pointing to a page about prostheses. Additional information about prostheses.


More possibly related word entries
A unit related to: “prostheses
(an artificial substitute for a missing part of the body)
Word Entries containing the term: “prostheses
dental prosthesis (s) (noun), dental prostheses (pl)
The replacement of a tooth or of a section of teeth by partial or full dentures: Steven had to go to the dentist to have a new tooth put in where one was missing and found out that this procedure was called dental prosthesis.
This entry is located in the following unit: prosth-, prosthe-, prosthet-, prostheto- (page 1)
maxillofacial prosthesis (s) (noun), maxillofacial prostheses (pl)
The repair and surgical exchange on the jaw which is missing because of a disease or an injury: Maxillofacial prosthesis was performed on Jim's chin as a result of a deformed area on the lower part of his face.
This entry is located in the following unit: prosth-, prosthe-, prosthet-, prostheto- (page 1)
myoelectric prosthesis (s) (noun), myoelectric prostheses (pl)
An advanced device operated by battery-powered electric converters that are activated through electrodes provided by muscles: A myoelectric prosthesis uses electromyography signals from voluntarily contracted flexors within a person's elbow, wrist rotations, or hands that open and close the fingers.

A myoelectric prosthesis utilizes the remaining nerve and neuromuscular systems of the human body to control the functions of an electrical operated prosthetic hand, wrist, elbow, or foot.

This entry is located in the following units: electro-, electr-, electri- (page 95) prosth-, prosthe-, prosthet-, prostheto- (page 1)
partial hand prostheses
A replacement of individual fingers or parts of a hand.
This entry is located in the following unit: Bionics, Illustrated by a Bionic Hand (page 1)