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prosthesis (n.)
1550s, in grammar, "addition of a letter or syllable to a word," from Late Latin, from Greek prosthesis "a putting to, an addition," from prostithenai "add to," from pros "to" (see pros-) + tithenai "to put, to place" (from reduplicated form of PIE root *dhe- "to set, put").
From 1706 in medical arts as "the addition of an artificial part to supply a defect of the body" on the notion of "that which is added to" the body. The sense was extended to "artificial body part" by 1900. Plural prostheses.
updated on December 18, 2020
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Definitions of prosthesis from WordNet
Dictionary entries near prosthesis
prosperity
prosperous
prostaglandin
prostate
prostatitis
prosthesis
prosthetic
prosthetics
prostitute
prostitution
prostomium