Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
×

An Encyclopædia Britannica Company

pterygium

noun pte·ryg·i·um \ te-ˈri-jē-əm \
Updated on: 28 May 2018
See What's Trending Now See More Trending Words

Definition of pterygium

plural pterygia play \te-ˈri-jē-ə\ also pterygiums
: a fleshy mass of thickened conjunctiva that grows over part of the cornea usually from the inner side of the eyeball and causes a disturbance of vision

Recent Examples of pterygium from the Web

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'pterygium.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of pterygium

New Latin, from Greek pterygion little wing, from pteryx

Medical Dictionary

pterygium

noun pte·ryg·i·um \ te-ˈrij-ē-əm \

medical Definition of pterygium

plural -iums or -ia play \-ē-ə\
1 : a triangular fleshy mass of thickened conjunctiva occurring usually at the inner side of the eyeball, covering part of the cornea, and causing a disturbance of vision
2 : a forward growth of the cuticle over the nail

Learn More about pterygium

  1. Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about pterygium

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up pterygium? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show hide

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

WORD OF THE DAY

sacrosanct

play

immune from criticism or violation

Get Word of the Day daily email!

TRENDING NOW

  1. embolization 'the process by which a blood vessel or organ is obstructed by a material mass'

  2. oleaginous 'marked by an offensively ingratiating manner or quality'

  3. pansexual 'sexual desire or attraction...not limited to a particular gender identity or sexual orientation'

  4. symbiote 'an organism living in symbiosis'

  5. charlatan 'faker or fraud'

SEE ALL

BROWSE DICTIONARY

pterygium

Test Your Vocabulary

May 2018 Words of the Day Quiz

  • spring-flowers
  • Which is a synonym of raillery?
True or False

Test your knowledge - and maybe learn something along the way.

TAKE THE QUIZ
Citation

Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.

TAKE THE QUIZ

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play

image250923223
Noun + Verb Insult Generator

A collection of obscure put-downs

alt-5b0834b915e3f
'Judicial' v. 'Judicious': We'll Settle The Case

A judgment call

alt-5b06e60511014
'Deprived' vs. 'Depraved'

Nobody wants to be either.

alt-5b05d8545c817
'Folksonomy': Let’s Get Organized

Tag the way you want to tag.

Ask the Editors

video-ghost-words
Ghost Word

The story of an imaginary word that managed to sneak past our editors and enter the dictionary.

image1760257654
2017 Word of the Year: Behind the Scenes

How we chose 'feminism'

video-literally
Literally

How to use a word that (literally) drives some people nuts.

video-his-or-her
Is Singular 'They' a Better Choice?

The awkward case of 'his or her'

Word Games

spring-flowers
May 2018 Words of the Day Quiz

We’re already at the end of May?!

Take the quiz
image1676440788
Words Used by Nabokov Quiz

How familiar are you with Nabokov’s unfamiliar vocabulary?

Take the quiz
True or False
True or False?

Test your knowledge - and maybe learn something along the way.

Take the quiz
Citation
Citation

Do you know the person or title these quotes describe?

Play the game