Hypertrophy
/ˌhaɪ.pərˈtroʊ.fi/noun
An abnormal increase in the size of an organ or tissue caused by enlargement of its cells.
Did you know?Hypertrophy comes from Greek roots for “over” and “nourishment,” so the word began as a description of being fed beyond measure before becoming a medical term for enlarged tissue.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
hypér
“over, above, in excess”
Ancient Greek
Greek
trophḗ
“nourishment, food, sustenance”
Late Greek
Greek
hypertrophía
“excessive nourishment; abnormal enlargement”
19th Century
English
hypertrophy
“medical enlargement of a tissue or organ”
Modern English
English
hypertrophy
“abnormal increase in the size of an organ or tissue due to cell enlargement”