Main Entry:

pol·yp

Pronunciation:

\ˈpä-ləp\

Function:

noun

Etymology:

French polype octopus, nasal polyp, from Old French polipe, from Latin polypus, from Greek polypous, from poly- + pous foot — more at foot

Date:

1742

1 : a coelenterate (as a coral) that has typically a hollow cylindrical body closed and attached at one end and opening at the other by a central mouth surrounded by tentacles armed with nematocysts 2 : a growth projecting from a mucous membrane (as of the colon or vocal cords)

— pol·yp·oid \-lə-ˌpȯid\ adjective