elephantiasis

noun el·e·phan·ti·a·sis \ˌe-lə-fən-ˈtī-ə-səs, -ˌfan-\

plural el·e·phan·ti·a·ses\-ˌsēz\

Definition of ELEPHANTIASIS

: enlargement and thickening of tissues; specifically : the enormous enlargement of a limb or the scrotum caused by obstruction of lymphatics by filarial worms (especially Wuchereria bancrofti)

: an undesirable usually enormous growth, enlargement, or overdevelopment <elephantiasis of the imagination>

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Origin of ELEPHANTIASIS

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

First Known Use: 1562

Rhymes with ELEPHANTIASIS

hypochondriasis, schistosomiasis

Medical Dictionary

elephantiasis

noun el·e·phan·ti·a·sis \ˌel-ə-fən-ˈtī-ə-səs, -ˌfan-\

plural el·e·phan·ti·a·ses \-ˌsēz\

Medical Definition of ELEPHANTIASIS

: enlargement and thickening of tissues; 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)