Copy of `Dorland's Medical Dictionary`

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Dorland's Medical Dictionary Category: Health and Medicine > Medical Dictionary Date & country: 31/12/2010, USA Words: 39128

polyglycolic acid
(pol″e-gli-kol´ik) a polymer of glycolic acid used for absorbable sutures.

polygnathus
(po-lig´nә-thәs) (pol″e-nath´әs) a fetal malformation in which a parasitic twin is attached to the jaw of the autosite.

polygraph
(pol´e-graf) an apparatus for simultaneously recording several mechanical or electrical impulses, such as blood pressure, pulse, and respiration, and variations in galvanic skin responses. Popularly known as a lie detector.

polygyny
(pә-lij´ĭ-ne) a form of marriage in which one man has two or more wives at the same time.

polygyria
(pol″e-ji´re-ә) polymicrogyria.

polyhedral
(pol″e-he´drәl) having many sides or surfaces.

polyhedral cell
a cell that is many-sided in form.

polyhidrosis
(pol″e-hĭ-dro´sis) hyperhidrosis.

polyhydramnios
(pol″e-hi-dram´ne-os) an excess of amniotic fluid, usually defined as more than 2000 mL. Amniotic fluid volume should increase gradually, reaching a peak of approximately 1000 mL between 34 and 36 weeks of pregnancy. Called also hydramnios.

polyhydric
(pol″e-hi´drik) containing more than two hydroxyl groups.

polyisoprenoid
(pol″e-i″so-pre´noid) any isoprenoid that contains multiple isoprene units, such as rubber.

polyleptic
(pol″e-lep´tik) having many remissions and exacerbations.

polymastia
(pol″e-mas´te-ә) the presence of more than two mammary glands or nipples; called also pleomastia.

polymelus
(pә-lim´ә-lәs) an individual with an extra limb or limbs.

polymenorrhea
(pol″e-men″o-re´ә) abnormally frequent menstruation.

polymer
(pol´ĭ-mәr) a compound, usually of high molecular weight, formed by combination of simpler molecules, called monomers. adj., polyme´ric., adj. The polymer cellulose consists of linked repeating units of the monomer β-D-glucose.

polymer fume fever
an occupational disorder due to exposure to the products of combustion of polymers, chiefly polytef. Manifestations are similar to those of metal fume fever.

polymerase
(pә-lim´әr-ās) an enzyme that catalyzes polymerization. polymerase chain reaction a rapid technique for in vitro amplification of specific DNA or RNA sequences, allowing small quantities of short sequences to be analyzed without cloning.

polymerization
(pә-lim″әr-ĭ-za´shәn) the combining of several simpler molecules (monomers) to form a polymer.

polymerize
(pә-lim´әr-īz) to subject to or to undergo polymerization.

polymethyl methacrylate
(PMMA) (pol″e-meth″әl meth-ak´rәl-āt) a thermoplastic acrylic resin formed by polymerization of methyl methacrylate; it is used extensively in medicine and dentistry. Written also polymethylmethacrylate.

polymicrobial
(pol″e-mi-kro´be-әl) marked by the presence of several species of microorganisms.

polymicrogyria
(pol″e-mi″kro-ji´re-ә) a brain malformation marked by development of numerous microgyri.

polymorph
(pol´e-morf) a colloquial term for a polymorphonuclear leukocyte.

polymorphic
(pol″e-mor´fik) occurring in several or many forms; appearing in different forms in different developmental stages.

polymorphic ventricular tachycardia
ventricular tachycardia whose beat-to-beat QRS configuration is constantly changing, sometimes subtly.

polymorphism
(pol″e-mor´fiz-әm) the existence within a population or species of several different forms of individuals, or the occurrence of different forms or stages in an individual over time. genetic polymorphism. balanced polymorphism a state of equilibrium in which...

polymorphocellular
(pol″e-mor″fo-sel´u-lәr) having cells of many forms.

polymorphonuclear
(pol″e-mor″fo-noo´kle-әr) having a nucleus so deeply lobed or so divided as to appear to be multiple; see polymorphonuclear leukocyte.

polymorphonuclear leukocyte
any fully developed, segmented granular leukocyte whose nuclei contain multiple lobes joined by filamentous connections, especially a neutrophil..

polymorphous
(pol″e-mor´fәs) polymorphic.

polymyalgia
(pol″e-mi-al´jә) pain involving many muscles.

polymyoclonus
(pol″e-mi-ok´lә-nәs) myoclonus in several muscles or groups simultaneously or in rapid succession; it occurs in myoclonic epilepsy and in some types of poisoning.

polymyopathy
(pol″e-mi-op´ә-the) any disease affecting several muscles simultaneously.

polymyositis
(pol″e-mi″o-si´tis) a chronic, progressive inflammatory disease of skeletal muscle, seen in both children and adults, characterized by symmetrical weakness of the limb girdles, neck, and pharynx. It is usually associated with pain and tenderness, and may be preceded or followed by manifestations typica...

polymyxin
(pol″e-mik´sin) a generic term for antibiotics derived from various strains of Bacillus polymyxa, several closely related compounds being designated by letters. polymyxin B a bacteriostatic and bactericidal antibiotic, effective mainly against gram-negative organisms. It is used as ...

polynesic
(pol″e-ne´sik) occurring in many foci.

polyneural
(pol″e-noor´әl) pertaining to or supplied by many nerves.

polyneuralgia
(pol″e-ndbobr-ral´jә) neuralgia of several nerves.

polyneuritis
(pol″e-ndbobr-ri´tis) inflammation of many nerves simultaneously. acute febrile polyneuritis , acute idiopathic polyneuritis , acute infectious polyneuritis , acute postinfectious polyneuritis Guillain-Barré syndrome. ...

polyneuromyositis
(pol″e-noor″o-mi″o-si´tis) inflammation involving the muscles and peripheral nerves, with loss of reflexes, sensory loss, and paresthesias.

polyneuropathy
(pol″e-ndbobr-rop´ә-the) a disease involving several nerves.

polyneuroradiculitis
(pol″e-noor″o-rә-dik″u-li´tis) inflammation of spinal ganglia, nerve roots, and peripheral nerves.

polynuclear
(pol″e-noo´kle-әr) having several nuclei; called also polynucleate.

polynucleate
(pol″e-noo´kle-āt) polynuclear.

polynucleotide
(pol″e-noo´kle-o-tīd) a linear polymer formed by the joining of more than one nucleotide; see nucleic acid.

polyodontia
(pol″e-o-don´shә) hyperdontia.

polyoma virus
polyomavirus.

polyomavirus
(pol″e-o´mә-vi″rәs) any virus of the genus Polyomavirus.

Polyomavirus
(pol″e-o´mә-vi″rәs) a genus of viruses of the family Papovaviridae that induce tumors in experimental animals. Two of them, BK virus and JC virus, infect humans

polyonychia
(pol″e-o-nik´e-ә) the presence of extra nails.

polyopia
(pol″e-o´pe-ә) visual perception of several images of a single object.

polyorchidism
(pol″e-or´kĭ-diz-әm) the presence of more than two testes.

polyorchism
(pol″e-or´kiz-әm) polyorchidism.

polyostotic
(pol″e-os-tot´ik) affecting several bones.

polyostotic fibrous dysplasia
a later stage of fibrous dysplasia of bone in which several or many bones are involved; when associated with skin and endocrine disorders, it is known as Albright syndrome. Called also osteitis fibrosa disseminata.

polyotia
(pol″e-o´shә) the presence of more than two ears.

polyovular
(pol″e-ov´u-lәr) pertaining to or produced from more than one oocyte, as in dizygotic twins.

polyovulatory
(pol″e-ov´u-lә-tor″e) discharging several oocytes in one ovarian cycle.

polyoxyl
(pol″e-oks´әl) a group of surfactants numbered according to the average polymer length of oxyethylene units; polyoxyl 40 stearate and many others are used in pharmaceutical preparations.

polyp
(pol´ip) any growth or mass protruding from a mucous membrane; it may be pedunculated (attached to the membrane by a thin stalk), or sessile (having a broad base). Polyps are usually an overgrowth of normal tissue, but sometimes they are true tumors, masses of new tissue separate from the supporting membrane. Usua...

polypathia
(pol″e-path´e-ә) the presence of several diseases at one time.

polypectomy
(pol″ĭ-pek´tә-me) excision of a polyp.

polypeptide
(pol″e-pep´tīd) a peptide containing two or more amino acids linked by a peptide bond; called dipeptide, tripeptide, and so on depending on the number of amino acids present. gastric inhibitory polypeptide(GIP) a peptide hormone synthesized by K cells in the m...

polypeptidemia
(pol″e-pep″tĭ-de´me-ә) the presence of polypeptides in the blood.

polyphagia
(pol″e-fa´jә) excessive eating; see also bulimia.

polyphalangia
(pol″e-fә-lan´jә) side-by-side duplication of one or more of the phalanges of a digit.

polyphalangism
(pol″e-fә-lan´jiz-әm) polyphalangia.

polypharmacy
(pol″e-fahr´mә-se) the administration of many drugs together. administration of excessive medication.

polyphobia
(pol″e-fo´be-ә) irrational fear of many things.

polyplastic
(pol″e-plas´tik) containing many structural or constituent elements. undergoing many changes of form.

polyploid
(pol´e-ploid) characterized by polyploidy. an individual or cell characterized by polyploidy.

polyploidy
(pol´e-ploi″de) the state of having more than two sets of homologous chromosomes.

polypnea
(pol″ip-ne´ә) hyperpnea.

polypneic center
a nerve center in the tuber cinereum that accelerates the respiration rate.

polypodia
(pol″e-po´de-ә) the presence of more than two feet.

polypoid
(pol´ĭ-poid) resembling a polyp.

polyporous
(pol´e-por″әs) having many pores.

polyposia
(pol″e-po´zhә) ingestion of abnormally increased amounts of fluids for long periods of time.

polyposis
(pol″ĭ-po´sis) the formation of numerous polyps. polyposis coli any of several types of polyposis found in the colon. familial polyposis , familial adenomatous polyposisFAP a hereditary condition of multiple adenomatous polyps, l...

polypous
(pol´ĭ-pәs) pertaining to or like a polyp.

polyptychial
(pol″e-ti´ke-әl) arranged in several layers.

polyradiculitis
(pol″e-rә-dik″u-li´tis) inflammation of the nerve roots.

polyradiculoneuritis
(pol″e-rә-dik″u-lo-ndbobr-ri´tis) acute infectious polyneuritis that involves the peripheral nerves, the spinal nerve roots, and the spinal cord.

polyribosome
(pol″e-ri´bo-sōm) a cluster of ribosomes connected with messenger RNA; they play a role in peptide synthesis. Schematic diagram of polyribosomes synthesizing polypeptide chains from a messenger RNA (mRNA) template.

polysaccharide
(pol″e-sak´ә-rīd) a carbohydrate that yields many monosaccharides when subjected to hydrolysis.

polyscelia
(pol″e-se´le-ә) the presence of more than two lower limbs.

polyserositis
(pol″e-sēr″o-si´tis) general inflammation of serous membranes, with effusion.

polysinusitis
(pol″e-si″nәs-i´tis) inflammation of several sinuses.

polysome
(pol´e-sōm) polyribosome.

polysomia
(pol″e-so´me-ә) doubling or tripling of the fetal body.

polysomnography
(pol″e-som-nog´rә-fe) the polygraphic recording during sleep of multiple physiological variables that are directly or indirectly related to the state and stages of sleep; done to assess possible biological causes of sleep disorders.

polysomus
(pol″e-so´mәs) a fetus exhibiting polysomia. adj., polyso´mic., adj.

polysomy
(pol″e-so´me) an excess of a particular chromosome.

polysorbate
(pol″e-sor´bāt) a generic name for esters of sorbitol and its anhydrides condensed with polymers of ethylene oxide, used as surfactants; polysorbates 20, 40, 60, and 80 are official in NF.

polyspermia
(pol″e-spur´me-ә) excessive secretion of semen. polyspermy.

polyspermy
(pol″e-spur´me) fertilization of an oocyte by more than one spermatozoon; occurring normally in certain species (physiologic polyspermy) but only abnormally in species such as humans (pathologic polyspermy).

polysplenia
(pol″e-sple´ne-ә) the presence of multiple spleens or accessory spleens.

polysplenia syndrome
a congenital syndrome of multiple splenic masses, abnormal position and development of visceral organs, complex cardiovascular defects, and abnormal, usually bilobate, lungs.

polystichia
(pol″e-stik´e-ә) two or more rows of eyelashes on an eyelid.