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Breaking Down Hypertrophy
When the prefix hyper-, "above, beyond", is joined to -trophy, we get the opposite of atrophy. An organ or part becomes hypertrophic when it grows so extremely that its function is affected. Muscle hypertrophy is common in men who do strength training, and is often harmless; but extreme muscle hypertrophy generally involves taking steroids, which can do great damage to the body. Hypertrophy of the heart sounds as if it might be healthy, but instead it's usually a bad sign. Hypertrophy, like atrophy, can be used in nonmedical ways as well to describe something with exaggerated growth or complexity.
Examples of hypertrophy in a Sentence
Paulina Dedaj, Fox News, 9 Nov. 2024
Priem, a grip for the Fox procedural, died on May 11 of sudden cardiac dysfunction and cardiomegaly with left ventricular hypertrophy, according to records from the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office, which released his autopsy results this week.
—Kevin Dolak, The Hollywood Reporter, 20 June 2024
Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 12 Oct. 2022
Plus, of course, using weights as resistance helps to increase muscle activation and stabilization, leading to overload and hypertrophy.
—Jeff Tomko, Men's Health, 10 Aug. 2022
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Dictionary Entries Near hypertrophy
Cite this Entry
“Hypertrophy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hypertrophy. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
hypertrophy
1 of 2 noun
hypertrophy
2 of 2 intransitive verb
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