elephantiasis

noun

el·​e·​phan·​ti·​a·​sis ˌe-lə-fən-ˈtī-ə-səs How to pronounce elephantiasis (audio)
-ˌfan-
plural elephantiases ˌe-lə-fən-ˈtī-ə-ˌsēz How to pronounce elephantiasis (audio)
-ˌfan-
1
: enlargement and thickening of tissues (as from chronic lymphedema)
specifically : the enormous enlargement of a limb or the scrotum caused by obstruction of lymphatic vessels by filarial worms (especially Wuchereria bancrofti)
2
: an undesirable usually enormous growth, enlargement, or overdevelopment
elephantiasis of the imagination

Did you know?

In Latin elephantiasis referred to a kind of leprosy in which the skin takes on the appearance of an elephant's hide. The word is still used in the medical field for various infectious skin diseases in which the affected part becomes grossly enlarged. The first known figurative use of "elephantiasis" is by English author George Meredith in a letter dated December 22, 1866. In that letter, he ribs an acquaintance for his exaggerated description of the size of a mackerel, telling him that he has "become the victim of a kind of mental elephantiasis."

Examples of elephantiasis in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Jeans, a kind of Patient Zero for pants trends, showed symptoms of acute-onset elephantiasis. Jonah Weiner, New York Times, 3 Mar. 2024 Brain-eating amoebas, blood flukes, leeches, and the worms that cause lymphatic filariasis, also known as elephantiasis, are all parasites. Avery Hurt, Discover Magazine, 22 Jan. 2024 There’s a condition called elephantiasis, which is really a lymphatic obstruction caused by a parasite called Wuchereria bancrofti. Nate Jones, Vulture, 13 June 2023 Lymphatic elephantiasis was deemed eradicated in several countries after such programs were implemented. Bradley Van Paridon, Scientific American, 1 June 2023 How many more Golden Age musicals can Sher and Lincoln Center Theater lavish their love on before the project turns into Encores! with elephantiasis? Jesse Green, New York Times, 13 Apr. 2023 An Indonesian man with elephantiasis caused by Wuchereria bancrofti. Rebecca Kreston, Discover Magazine, 5 Oct. 2015 Both Ōmura and Campbell discovered avermectins, a class of compounds that can kill parasitic roundworms that cause crippling diseases, such as lymphatic filariasis, otherwise known as elephantiasis, and onchocerciasis or river blindness. Rebecca Kreston, Discover Magazine, 5 Oct. 2015 In another example, which Doyle and other students witnessed, a patient came in to see Bell for treatment for early-stage elephantiasis. Rivka Galchen, The New Yorker, 31 Jan. 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'elephantiasis.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Latin, a kind of leprosy, from Greek, from elephant-, elephas

First Known Use

1562, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of elephantiasis was in 1562

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Dictionary Entries Near elephantiasis

Cite this Entry

“Elephantiasis.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/elephantiasis. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

elephantiasis

noun
el·​e·​phan·​ti·​a·​sis ˌel-ə-fən-ˈtī-ə-səs How to pronounce elephantiasis (audio)
-ˌfan-
: the enormous enlargement of an arm or a leg or of the scrotum that is caused by blocking of the vessels carrying lymph by nematode worms

Medical Definition

elephantiasis

noun
el·​e·​phan·​ti·​a·​sis ˌel-ə-fən-ˈtī-ə-səs How to pronounce elephantiasis (audio) -ˌfan- How to pronounce elephantiasis (audio)
plural elephantiases -ˌsēz How to pronounce elephantiasis (audio)
: enlargement and thickening of tissues (as from chronic lymphedema)
specifically : the enormous enlargement of a limb or the scrotum caused by obstruction of lymphatics by filarial worms of the genus Wuchereria (W. bancrofti) or a related genus (Brugia malayi)
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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