Hyperplasia
/ˌhaɪ.pərˈpleɪ.ʒə/noun
An abnormal increase in the number of cells in a tissue or organ, causing it to enlarge.
Did you know?Unlike hypertrophy, which enlarges existing cells, hyperplasia increases cell number—a distinction recognized in modern pathology and rooted in ancient Greek ideas of formation and excess.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*pel-
“To spread, fill, or form broadly; a proposed ancestral root connected with Greek forming vocabulary.”
Ancient Greek
Greek
hyper (ὑπέρ)
“Over, beyond, or above.”
Ancient Greek
Greek
plassein (πλάσσειν)
“To mold, shape, or form.”
Ancient Greek
Greek
hyperplasis (ὑπερπλασία)
“Over-formation or excessive formation.”
19th Century
Medical English
hyperplasia
“An increase in the formation of tissue, especially through multiplication of cells.”
Modern English
English
hyperplasia
“Abnormal tissue enlargement caused by an increased number of cells.”