Elephantiasis
//ˌɛlɪfənˈtaɪəsɪs// noun
noun ·Uncommon ·College level
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A complication of chronic filariasis, in which nematode worms block the lymphatic vessels, usually in the legs or scrotum, causing extreme enlargement of the infected area. uncountable, usually
- 2 hypertrophy of certain body parts (usually legs and scrotum); the end state of the disease filariasis wordnet
- 3 Synonym of leprosy. obsolete, uncountable, usually
Example
More examples"In the quiet of a courtyard in the northern Nigerian city of Jos, a dozen people sit in a circle on white plastic chairs, talking about their affliction: lymphatic filariasis, an infectious disease also known as elephantiasis."
Etymology
From Latin elephantiasis or directly from Ancient Greek ἐλεφᾰντῐ́ᾱσῐς (elephăntĭ́āsĭs).
Related phrases
More for "elephantiasis"
Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.