Acromegaly

/ækroʊˈmɛɡəli/ noun

Definition

A hormonal disorder causing excessive growth of hands, feet, and facial features in adults, usually caused by a pituitary gland tumor producing too much growth hormone.

Etymology

From Greek 'akron' (extremity) + 'megas' (great/large) + '-y' (condition). Named in 1886 by French doctor Pierre Marie to describe the visible extremity enlargement characteristic of the disease.

Kelly Says

Acromegaly was discovered when doctors noticed that some people's rings stopped fitting and their shoe sizes kept increasing into adulthood—it's a condition written all over your body!

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