How Do You Spell POLYMELIA?

Pronunciation: [pˌɒlɪmˈiːli͡ə] (IPA)

Polymelia is a medical term describing a rare condition where an individual is born with extra limbs. The word is spelled as "pol-y-mel-i-a" with the emphasis on the second syllable. The letter "y" is used here to indicate a long "i" sound, while the "a" at the end is pronounced with a neutral "uh" sound. In IPA phonetic transcription, the word is written as /ˌpɒlɪˈmiːlɪə/, which can help with pronunciation for those unfamiliar with the term.

POLYMELIA Meaning and Definition

1. Polymelia is a medical term that refers to a rare congenital condition characterized by the presence of extra limbs or parts of limbs. It is derived from the Greek words "poly," meaning many, and "melos," meaning limb. Polymelia is considered a type of polydactyly, which involves having more than the typical number of fingers or toes. However, unlike typical polydactyly, polymelia often entails additional limbs rather than simply extra digits.

   The condition can affect various parts of the body, including the arms and legs. In some cases, the extra limbs may be fully formed and functional, resembling duplicate appendages. However, they can also appear smaller, less developed, or non-functional. Polymelia can occur on one side of the body (unilateral) or on both sides (bilateral), and the location and appearance of the extra limbs may vary.

   Polymelia is an extremely rare condition, with few documented cases in medical literature. Its exact cause is generally unknown, but it is believed to result from abnormalities in embryonic development during the early stages of pregnancy. While polymelia can occur as an isolated anomaly, it may also be associated with other congenital abnormalities or genetic disorders.

   Due to its uncommon occurrence and potential variations, polymelia often requires careful medical evaluation and individualized treatment approaches. In many cases, surgical intervention may be considered to address any functional or cosmetic concerns associated with the additional limbs.

2. The presence of supernumerary limbs or parts of limbs, as in polydactylism.

   A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.

Common Misspellings for POLYMELIA

• oolymelia
• lolymelia
• -olymelia
• 0olymelia
• pilymelia
• pklymelia
• pllymelia
• pplymelia
• p0lymelia
• p9lymelia
• pokymelia
• popymelia
• pooymelia
• poltmelia
• polgmelia
• polhmelia
• polumelia
• pol7melia
• pol6melia
• polynelia

Etymology of POLYMELIA

The word "polymelia" derives from the combination of two Greek roots: "poly", meaning "many" or "multiple", and "melos", meaning "limb". Therefore, the literal translation of "polymelia" from Greek is "many limbs".

In medical terminology, "polymelia" refers to a rare congenital disorder characterized by the presence of extra limbs, resulting in the affected individual having more than the usual number of arms and/or legs.

Plural form of POLYMELIA is POLYMELIAS