hypertrophy

(hī pʉrtrə fē)

noun

a considerable increase in the size of an organ or tissue, caused by enlargement of its cellular components

Origin: ModL: see hyper- & -trophy

intransitive verb, transitive verb hypertrophied, hypertrophying

to undergo or cause to undergo hypertrophy

Related Forms:

See hypertrophy in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun pl. hy·per·tro·phies
A nontumorous enlargement of an organ or a tissue as a result of an increase in the size rather than the number of constituent cells: muscle hypertrophy.
intr. & tr.v. hy·per·tro·phied, hy·per·tro·phy·ing, hy·per·tro·phies
To grow or cause to grow abnormally large.

Related Forms:

  • hyˌper·troˈphic (-trōˈfĭk, -trŏfˈĭk) adjective

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