prosthesis

noun

pros·​the·​sis präs-ˈthē-səs 

ˈpräs-thə-

plural prostheses präs-ˈthē-ˌsēz 

ˈpräs-thə-

: an artificial device to replace or augment a missing or impaired part of the body

upper and lower limb prostheses

a postmastectomy breast prosthesis

removable dental prostheses

Examples of prosthesis in a Sentence

She was fitted with a prosthesis to replace her missing leg.

Recent Examples on the Web

The gore is more graphic, the prostheses more up-close and personal. —James Poniewozik, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2025

Neuralink’s visual prosthesis Blindsight has been designated a breakthrough device by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which potentially sets the technology on a fast track to approval. —IEEE Spectrum, 27 Sep. 2024

The bride and model, Rebekah, was born without a right forearm and had a black prosthetic hand, a myoelectric prosthesis. —Ashlyn Robinette, People.com, 7 Apr. 2025

His family worked hand specialists at Johns Hopkins Medicine to look at surgery and different prosthesis options to give him some usage of his left hand. —David Begnaud, CBS News, 24 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Greek, addition, from prostithenai to add to, from pros- in addition to + tithenai to put — more at pros-, do

First Known Use

circa 1900, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for prosthesis

• transgresses
• arthrodesis
• catechesis
• diuresis
• hysteresis
• dessus
• nessus

Kids Definition

prosthesis

noun

pros·​the·​sis präs-ˈthē-səs 

ˈpräs-thə-

plural prostheses -ˌsēz 

: an artificial device that replaces a missing part of the body

prosthetic

präs-ˈthet-ik

adjective

Medical Definition

prosthesis

noun

pros·​the·​sis präs-ˈthē-səs, ˈpräs-thə- 

plural prostheses -ˌsēz 

: an artificial device to replace or augment a missing or impaired part of the body

transtibial prostheses

a postmastectomy breast prosthesis

biological and mechanical heart valve prostheses