What does polyp mean?
A polyp is, in medicine, an abnormal growth of tissue that projects from the lining of a body cavity. Nasal polyps may obstruct breathing, while polyps can also develop in the colon, stomach, bladder, or uterus. Although many polyps are benign, the term is clinical and does not indicate whether a growth is harmless, so diagnosis is important. In zoology, a polyp is an individual member of certain cnidarians, including corals and sea anemones. These animals are usually attached to a surface and have a tubular body with a mouth at one end, often surrounded by tentacles. The word therefore links two familiar biological contexts: a physician may remove a polyp during an examination, while a marine biologist may study the polyps that make up a coral colony. Its clear medical and zoological senses make it a useful example of how one word can describe unrelated forms of animal growth.
nounA polyp is an abnormal growth of tissue, especially a one that projects from the lining of a body cavity such as the nose, colon, stomach, or uterus. In zoology, a polyp is an individual cnidarian, especially a coral or related animal, that is typically attached to a surface and has a tubular body with a mouth at one end.
- An abnormal growth of tissue projecting from the lining of a body cavity, especially the nose, colon, stomach, uterus, or bladder.
- An individual cnidarian, especially a coral, sea anemone, or related animal, that is usually attached to a surface and has a cylindrical body with a mouth surrounded by tentacles.
"The physician removed a small polyp from her colon during the routine procedure."
"Chronic inflammation can lead to the formation of nasal polyps."
"Each polyp in the reef community has its own feeding behavior within the colony."
The plural is used for multiple tissue growths and for multiple individual cnidarians.
"The surgeon removed several polyps from the colon."
A polyp can be a tiny nasal growth—or, in the animal world, one member of a coral colony with a body shaped like a tube.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does polyp come from?
The English word comes through Latin from Greek polypous, meaning “many-footed,” a term originally applied to certain marine creatures. Greek polypous was formed from poly-, meaning “many,” and pous, meaning “foot.” The medical sense developed later by analogy with the stalked or projecting appearance of some animal polyps. Related forms such as polypody and polypod also reflect the Greek idea of “many-footed,” although they belong to different semantic developments.
Related word forms
How polyp is actually used
In medicine, the word is most often used for a localized tissue growth, and many polyps are benign, although the term does not by itself establish whether a growth is harmless or cancerous. In zoology, it refers to a type of cnidarian and is especially common in discussions of corals and jellyfish.