Atrophy: meaning, definitions and examples

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atrophy

 

[ หˆรฆtrษ™fi ]

Noun / Verb
Context #1 | Noun

medical condition

Atrophy is the wasting away or decrease in size of a body part or tissue due to disease or lack of use. It can occur in muscles, organs, and other tissues. Atrophy can result from factors like aging, injury, or prolonged disuse.

Synonyms

decline, deterioration, shrinking, wasting

Examples of usage

  • Muscle atrophy can occur when a limb is immobilized.
  • The doctor explained how the atrophy of brain tissue affects cognitive function.
  • Long periods of inactivity can lead to muscle atrophy.
  • Patients recovering from surgery may experience atrophy in the affected area.
Context #2 | Verb

biological process

To atrophy means to waste away or decrease in size, often referring to tissues or organs. This process can occur naturally due to aging or may be induced by other factors, such as lack of use or disease.

Synonyms

dwindle, fade, shrink, waste away

Examples of usage

  • When you stop exercising, your muscles may atrophy.
  • Without proper usage, the brain can atrophy over time.
  • Certain medications can cause organs to atrophy.
  • After the injury, the affected muscles began to atrophy.

Translations

Translations of the word "atrophy" in other languages:

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡น atrofia

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ณ เคธเค‚เค•เฅ‹เคš

๐Ÿ‡ฉ๐Ÿ‡ช Atrophie

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ฉ atrofi

๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ะฐั‚ั€ะพั„ั–ั

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡ฑ atrofia

๐Ÿ‡ฏ๐Ÿ‡ต ่Ž็ธฎ (ใ„ใ—ใ‚…ใ)

๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ท atrophie

๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ atrofia

๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท atrofi

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท ์œ„์ถ• (์œ„์ถ•)

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ุถู…ูˆุฑ

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฟ atrofie

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฐ atrofia

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ณ ่Ž็ผฉ (wฤ“isuล)

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฎ atrofija

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ธ vรถxtur

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ฟ ะฐั‚ั€ะพั„ะธั

๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ช แƒแƒขแƒ แƒแƒคแƒ˜แƒ

๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ฟ atrofiya

๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ atrofia

Etymology

The term 'atrophy' originates from the Greek word 'atrophia', which means 'without nourishment'. It combines two elements: 'a-', a prefix meaning 'without', and 'trophia', derived from 'trophe', meaning 'nourishment' or 'food'. The term first appeared in English in the late 16th century, adopted from the medical context in Greek and Latin. Atrophy is used in medical jargon to describe the reduction in size and function of a tissue or organ. The concept has expanded into various fields, including sports, exercise, and rehabilitation, to explain the physiological and biological deterioration resulting from disuse or disease.

Word Frequency Rank

Ranked #10,562, this word falls into high-advanced vocabulary. It appears less frequently but is valuable for expressing precise meanings in specific contexts.