hypertrophy

IPA/haɪˈpɜːtrəfi/
KK[hˈaɪpɚtrˌofi]IPA/haɪˈpɜːrtrəfi/

hypertrophy — noun

1. a condition in which an organ, tissue, or body part becomes larger because its i

1.名詞B2
釋義

a condition in which an organ, tissue, or body part becomes larger because its individual cells increase in size, not because the number of cells has risen.

例句

Michael's doctor found mild cardiac hypertrophy on the echocardiogram and recommended lifestyle changes.

domain: cardiology / medical diagnosis context

Weightlifters often aim for muscle hypertrophy through high-resistance training with fewer repetitions.

同義詞
  • enlargement

    general term; enlargement can happen for any reason, while hypertrophy specifically refers to cell-size increase

  • swelling

    implies fluid buildup or inflammation rather than true cell growth; not a medical synonym

反義詞
  • atrophy

    the opposite process — cells shrink and the organ or tissue becomes smaller and weaker

  • shrinkage

    general term for reduction in size; less technical than atrophy

用法筆記

Distinguish from hyperplasia: hypertrophy involves cell size increase, while hyperplasia involves an increase in cell number. Frequently used with a body-part modifier (cardiac hypertrophy, muscular hypertrophy, ventricular hypertrophy).

常見錯誤

❌The weightlifter has hypertrophy muscles.
✅The weightlifter has muscle hypertrophy.
💡hypertrophy is a noun, not an adjective; use the noun form or the adjective 'hypertrophic.'
❌Hypertrophy means the organ has more cells.
✅Hypertrophy means the organ's cells have grown larger, not more numerous.
💡hypertrophy is a size increase, not a count increase; the latter is called hyperplasia.

hypertrophy — verb