Prosthesis
noun /prɒsˈθiː.sɪs/ — An artificial replacement for a missing body part
Definition
An artificial device that replaces a missing or dysfunctional body part — a limb, an eye, a hip. The prosthesis extends and completes the body across the gap left by loss, disease, or injury.
Beyond the definition
Prosthesis is the word for the body completing itself through technology — the partnership between organic and made, between loss and restoration. Every prosthesis contains both the story of what was lost and the determination to continue.
Origin & history
Greek: prosthesis (addition, attachment). From pros- (to, toward) + thesis (placement). A prosthesis is what is placed toward the body — added to it to complete or extend it.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
She trained for the marathon with a prosthetic leg — the prosthesis was as much a part of her body as anything born with.
Modern prostheses respond to nerve signals — the boundary between body and technology dissolving.
Prosthesis asks interesting questions about where the body ends and the tool begins.
How to use it
This entry uses a noun. Follow the examples for articles and singular or plural forms; not every noun takes “a” or “an.”
Choose “Prosthesis” when the meaning fits your context: An artificial device that replaces a missing or dysfunctional body part — a limb, an eye, a hip. The prosthesis extends and completes the body across the gap left by loss, disease, or injury.
Synonyms
artificial limb, implant, replacement device
Antonyms
natural body part
Related words
Prosthesis vs orthosis
A prosthesis replaces a missing body part. An orthosis supports or corrects an existing body part.
Word in the Wild
See how this word appears in life, language and stories.
Illustrative sentences and imagined stories for learning — not verified sightings, interviews, or sourced quotations.
Fictional scene
Restoring with Gold Seams
An artist repairs a broken pottery bowl using gold-colored material to fill the gaps.
The gold seams restore the bowl’s function and integrity, acting similarly to a prosthesis. It bridges the gap left by the break, providing a physical extension that completes the object and honors the history of the damage it sustained.
Image credit: Wordspun · AI-generated conceptual illustration
Questions about this word
What does "Prosthesis" mean?
Prosthesis is noun meaning: An artificial replacement for a missing body part. An artificial device that replaces a missing or dysfunctional body part — a limb, an eye, a hip. The prosthesis extends and completes the body across the gap left by loss, disease, or injury.
Where does the word "Prosthesis" come from?
Greek: prosthesis (addition, attachment). From pros- (to, toward) + thesis (placement). A prosthesis is what is placed toward the body — added to it to complete or extend it.