hypertrophy

From French hypertrophie, from Ancient Greek ὑπέρ (hupér, “over, excessive”) + τροφή (trophḗ, “nourishment”).

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /haɪˈpɜːtɹəfi/
• (US) IPA^(key): /haɪˈpɝːtɹəfi/

• Audio (US):

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hypertrophy (countable and uncountable, plural hypertrophies)

1. (countable, medicine) An increase in the size of an organ or tissue due to the enlargement of its individual cells.
2. (uncountable, bodybuilding) Increase in muscle size through increased size of individual muscle cells; a result of weightlifting, and other exercise. It differs from muscle hyperplasia, which is the formation of new muscle cells.

• atrophy
• hypotrophy

• hyperplasia

hypertrophy (third-person singular simple present hypertrophies, present participle hypertrophying, simple past and past participle hypertrophied)

1. (intransitive, of a tissue or organ) To increase in size.

   Antonym: atrophy

2. (by extension) To enlarge or extend.
   • 2020, Merlin Sheldrake, Entangled Life, page 76:

     Like a well-exercised muscle, 'network' has hypertrophied into a master concept.