Extremity

Extremity
The extremities in medical language are not freezing cold or scorching heat but rather the uttermost parts of the body. The extremities are simply the hands and feet. The use of "extremity" to mean a hand or foot is quite ancient. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, it dates back to 1460-70: "He schal waische al his body and his extremytees...(he shall wash all his body and his extremities...)."
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One of the ends of an elongated or pointed structure. Incorrectly used to mean limb. SEE ALSO: limb, end, pole. SYN: extremitas [TA].
- acromial e. of clavicle SYN: acromial end of clavicle.
- anterior e. of caudate nucleus SYN: head of caudate nucleus.
- anterior e. of spleen [TA] the anterior end of the spleen (extremitas anterior splenis [NA]). SYN: extremitas anterior splenica [TA].
- inferior e. 1. inferior pole. 2. incorrectly, but commonly used for lower limb.
- inferior e. of kidney inferior pole of kidney.
- lower e. SYN: lower limb.
- posterior e. of spleen [TA] the posterior end of the spleen (extremitas posterior splenis [NA]). SYN: extremitas posterior splenica [TA].
- sternal e. of clavicle SYN: sternal end of clavicle.
- superior e. 1. superior pole. 2. incorrectly, but commonly used term for upper limb.
- superior e. of kidney superior pole of kidney.
- tubal e. of ovary [TA] the rounded lateral end of the ovary, usually directed toward the infundibulum of the uterine tube. SYN: extremitas tubaria ovarii [TA], lateral pole.
- upper e. SYN: upper limb.
- upper e. of fibula SYN: head of fibula.
- uterine e. of ovary [TA] the rounded medial end of the ovary, usually directed toward the uterus. SYN: extremitas uterina ovarii [TA], medial pole of ovary.

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ex·trem·i·ty ik-'strem-ət-ē n, pl -ties
1) the farthest or most remote part, section, or point
2) a limb of the body esp a human hand or foot

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ex·trem·i·ty (ek-stremґĭ-te) 1. extremitas. 2. an upper or lower limb; see membrum inferius and membrum superius. 3. a hand or foot.

Medical dictionary. 2011.

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  • Extremity — Ex*trem i*ty, n.; pl. {Extremities}. [L. extremitas: cf. F. extr[ e]mit[ e].] 1. The extreme part; the utmost limit; the farthest or remotest point or part; as, the extremities of a country. [1913 Webster] They sent fleets . . . to the… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • extremity — [n1] ultimate; limit acme, acuteness, adversity, apex, apogee, border, bound, boundary, brim, brink, butt, climax, consummation, crisis, depth, dire straits, disaster, edge, end, excess, extreme, extremes, frontier, height, last, margin, maximum …   New thesaurus

  • extremity — I (death) noun cessation of being, cessation of existence, cessation of life, dose, completion, conclusion, demise, departure, discontinuance, discontinuation, dissolution, end, end of life, expiration, extinction, extinguishment, finish, passing …   Law dictionary

  • extremity — late 14c., from O.Fr. estremite (13c.), from L. extremitatem (nom. extremitas) the end of a thing, from extremus; see EXTREME (Cf. extreme), the etymological sense of which is better preserved in this word …   Etymology dictionary

  • extremity — *extreme Analogous words: *limit, bound, end, confine, term …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • extremity — ► NOUN (pl. extremities) 1) the furthest point or limit. 2) (extremities) the hands and feet. 3) severity or seriousness. 4) extreme adversity …   English terms dictionary

  • extremity — [ek strem′ə tē, ikstrem′ə tē] n. pl. extremities [ME & OFr extremite < L extremitas < extremus: see EXTREME] 1. the outermost or utmost point or part; end 2. the greatest degree 3. a state of extreme necessity, danger, etc. 4. Archaic the… …   English World dictionary

  • extremity — [[t]ɪkstre̱mɪti[/t]] extremities 1) N COUNT: with supp The extremity of something is its furthest end or edge. [FORMAL] ...a small port on the north western extremity of the Iberian peninsula. ...the extremities of the aeroplane. 2) N PLURAL: oft …   English dictionary

  • extremity — UK [ɪkˈstremətɪ] / US noun Word forms extremity : singular extremity plural extremities formal 1) a) [countable, usually plural] a part of your body that is furthest from the main part, for example a finger or toe b) [countable] a part of… …   English dictionary

  • extremity — /ik strem i tee/, n., pl. extremities. 1. the extreme or terminal point, limit, or part of something. 2. a limb of the body. 3. Usually, extremities. the end part of a limb, as a hand or foot: to experience cold in one s extremities. 4. Often,… …   Universalium

  • extremity — Synonyms and related words: Thule, Ultima Thule, abandon, abstract, aching heart, acme, acuteness, agony, agony of mind, all, anguish, animality, apex, apogee, arch, arms, atrocity, bale, barbarity, bitter end, bitterness, bleeding heart, blind… …   Moby Thesaurus

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