Extramedullary

/ˌɛkstɹəməˈdʌləɹi/ adj

adj ·Rare ·Advanced level

Meaning at a glance

  • Primary sense: Outside of a medulla.; Outside of the bone marrow, as with extramedullary hematopoiesis.
  • Grammar: extramedullary is listed as adj.
  • Useful contrasts: medullary, myelic.
  • Usage evidence: Extramedullary hematopoiesis (EMH) is a rare disorder, defined as the appearance of hematopoietic elements outside the bone marrow or peripheral blood. The most common sites of EMH are liver and spleen, but it has been documented in other organs such as the mediastinum, lymph nodes, breast, and central nervous system. EMH occurs as a compensatory mechanism for bone marrow dysfunction in severe thalassemia.

How to use "extramedullary"

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  2. Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "extramedullary" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
  3. Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.

Meaning check

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  • Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
  • Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
  • Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?

Source and review context

This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "extramedullary" in a final draft.

If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.

Before you rely on this definition

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Compare nearby meanings

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Definition decision workflow

1. Identify the role

Check whether "extramedullary" is acting as adj in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.

2. Test the nearest option

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3. Confirm with context

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Final meaning check

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When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.

Definitions

Adjective
  1. 1
    Outside of a medulla.; Outside of the bone marrow, as with extramedullary hematopoiesis. not-comparable

    "Extramedullary hematopoiesis (EMH) is a rare disorder, defined as the appearance of hematopoietic elements outside the bone marrow or peripheral blood. The most common sites of EMH are liver and spleen, but it has been documented in other organs such as the mediastinum, lymph nodes, breast, and central nervous system. EMH occurs as a compensatory mechanism for bone marrow dysfunction in severe thalassemia."

  2. 2
    Outside of a medulla.; Outside of the medulla oblongata, as with extramedullary influences on control of ventilation. not-comparable

    "As no complete study has been made of reflex response to stimulation of ipsilateral vagus in regard to extramedullary respiratory control system, the authors have tried to clarify the influence of the stimulation of the vagus on the ipsilateral posterior cricoarytenoid muscle (PCA)."

  3. 3
    Outside of a medulla.; Outside of the renal medulla, as with extramedullary electrolytes or renal tissue. not-comparable

    "Similar mechanisms likely underlie the expression of relevant transporters and/or enzymes for the alternative nonperturbing osmolytes (11,12,35) in renal medullary tubular cells. Osmotic induction of AR2 and MI transport has also been described in extramedullary renal cells and in nonrenal cells rarely or never exposed to significant physiologic hyperosmolarity in vivo (31,39)."

  4. 4
    Outside of a medulla.; Outside of the spinal cord, as with intrameningeal but extramedullary tissues of the central nervous system. not-comparable

    "This paper reports on neoplastic disease of the spine and spinal cord. Spinal tumors are often categorized as extradural, intradural–extramedullary, or intramedullary in location. This classification represents somewhat of an over-generalization for two reasons. First, a given lesion may reside in two compartments simultaneously. […] Second, in different cases, two lesions with identical pathology may occur in different compartments. […] Nevertheless, this classification scheme is useful, because it is traditional and helps to characterize spinal tumors."

Antonyms

Example

"Extramedullary hematopoiesis (EMH) is a rare disorder, defined as the appearance of hematopoietic elements outside the bone marrow or peripheral blood. The most common sites of EMH are liver and spleen, but it has been documented in other organs such as the mediastinum, lymph nodes, breast, and central nervous system. EMH occurs as a compensatory mechanism for bone marrow dysfunction in severe thalassemia."

Common questions

What does "extramedullary" mean?

Outside of a medulla.; Outside of the bone marrow, as with extramedullary hematopoiesis.

How do you use "extramedullary" in a sentence?

Extramedullary hematopoiesis (EMH) is a rare disorder, defined as the appearance of hematopoietic elements outside the bone marrow or peripheral blood. The most common sites of EMH are liver and spleen, but it has been documented in other organs such as the mediastinum, lymph nodes, breast, and central nervous system. EMH occurs as a compensatory mechanism for bone marrow dysfunction in severe thalassemia.

How do you pronounce "extramedullary"?

Pronounced /ˌɛkstɹəməˈdʌləɹi/.

Etymology

From extra- + medullary or extra- + medulla + -ary.

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