Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • intransitive verb To fall or slip out of place.
  • noun The falling down or slipping out of place of an organ or part, such as the uterus.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • To fall down or out: chiefly a medical term. See prolapse, n.
  • noun In pathology, a falling down of some part of the body, as the uterus or rectum, from the position which it normally occupies.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun (Med.) The falling down of a part through the orifice with which it is naturally connected, especially of the uterus or the rectum.
  • intransitive verb To fall down or out; to protrude.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • verb intransitive To move out of place; especially for an internal organ to protrude beyond its normal position
  • noun A moving out of place, especially a protrusion of an internal organ

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun the slipping or falling out of place of an organ (as the uterus)
  • verb slip or fall out of place, as of body parts

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Latin prōlābī, prōlāps-, to fall down : prō-, forward; see pro– + lābī, to fall.]

Support

Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word prolapse.

Examples

  • If the prolapse is severe, the valve leaflets can become disconnected from tendons that stretch between the leaflets and the heart muscle.

    Mitral Stenosis, Mitral Regurgitation and Mitral Valve Prolapse 2010

  • Fistula exists in Nepal, but a more common problem seems to be uterine prolapse, which is when the uterus descends through the genitals.

    Anna Tomasulo: From Poverty To Matrimony: Early Marriage In Rural Nepal Anna Tomasulo 2011

  • As with many other body systems, pelvic care is typically offered only once a woman has developed significant physical symptoms, like urine leakage or a sensation of heaviness known as a prolapse as the uterus moves toward the vaginal opening.

    Wild Feminine Tami Lynn Kent 2011

  • As with many other body systems, pelvic care is typically offered only once a woman has developed significant physical symptoms, like urine leakage or a sensation of heaviness known as a prolapse as the uterus moves toward the vaginal opening.

    Wild Feminine Tami Lynn Kent 2011

  • It is supported by certain ligaments, the chief of which are the broad ligaments; but, on account of general weakness, too hard physical labor, or lifting heavy weights, the ligaments may stretch, and the uterus may sink down low in the vagina, and we then have the condition known as prolapse of the womb.

    Woman Her Sex and Love Life William J. Robinson

  • The cause of death was due to cardiac arrhythmia due to mitral valve prolapse, which is a condition in which the heart valve does not close properly, said Ellen Borakove, director of the public affairs for the Office of Chief Medical Examiner in New York City.

    News - chicagotribune.com 2011

  • Uterine prolapse occurs when pelvic floor muscles and ligaments stretch and weaken, providing inadequate support for the uterus.

    All MayoClinic.com Topics 2010

  • A uterine prolapse occurs when the uterus protrudes into the vagina.

    IRIN 2009

  • A uterine prolapse occurs when the uterus protrudes into the vagina.

    AllAfrica News: Latest 2009

  • 'prolapse' - according to the degree of surface coverage.

    Stabroek News 2009

Comments

Log in or sign up to get involved in the conversation. It's quick and easy.