1
: the sessile form of cnidarian (such as a coral or sea anemone) typically having a hollow cylindrical body closed and attached at one end and opening at the other by a central mouth surrounded by tentacles armed with nematocysts
2
: a growth projecting from a mucous membrane (as of the colon or vocal cords)
Examples of polyp in a Sentence
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Boston Fire Commissioner Rodney Marshall said recent early detection screening for roughly 1,500 firefighters revealed 637 high-risk cases, including, but not limited to aortic aneurysms; cancerous polyps and nodules on the trachea, thyroid and lungs; prostate cancer and lung cancer.
—
Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald, 20 May 2026
During the procedure, doctors are looking to remove polyps—small clumps of cells that form on the lining of the colon or rectum.
—Holly Burns, Time, 6 May 2026
Its role is to create a water current through the colony, ensuring a steady flow of nutrient-bearing water across the feeding polyps.
—Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 23 Apr. 2026
One type of polyp handles feeding, extending above the sand and secreting a mucus net to capture small prey.
—Samantha Agate, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Apr. 2026
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Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald, 20 May 2026
During the procedure, doctors are looking to remove polyps—small clumps of cells that form on the lining of the colon or rectum.
—Holly Burns, Time, 6 May 2026
Its role is to create a water current through the colony, ensuring a steady flow of nutrient-bearing water across the feeding polyps.
—Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 23 Apr. 2026
One type of polyp handles feeding, extending above the sand and secreting a mucus net to capture small prey.
—Samantha Agate, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for polyp
Cite this Entry
“Polyp.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/polyp. Accessed 24 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
polyp
noun
pol·yp
ˈpäl-əp 
: an invertebrate animal (as a sea anemone or a coral) that is a coelenterate having a hollow cylinder-shaped body closed and attached at one end and opening at the other by a central mouth surrounded by tentacles armed with minute stinging organs
Medical Definition
polyp
noun
pol·yp
ˈpäl-əp
: a projecting mass of swollen and hypertrophied or tumorous membrane (as in the nasal cavity or the intestine)
called also polypus
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