polydactyly

or pol·y·dac·tyl·ism

[ pol-ee-dak-tuh-lee ]

noun

, Pathology.

1. the condition of being polydactyl.

Word History and Origins

Origin of polydactyly¹

First recorded in 1885–90; polydactyl + -y ³

Example Sentences

Boston Children’s Hospital cites the odds of polydactyly, a condition in which a baby is born with one or more extra fingers, as between 1 in 500 and 1 in 1,000 in the U.S.

From Los Angeles Times

Having an extra finger or toe is called polydactyly, with the extra digits ranging from a small raised bump to a complete formed finger or toe, according to Seattle Children’s.

From Fox News

Yet this is not always the case: some people with polydactyly decide not to have their additional fingers removed.

From Scientific American

To determine how common polydactyly was among the Chacos, the researchers conducted an analysis of 96 skeletons excavated from Pueblo Bonito during prior expeditions.

From National Geographic

The record for polydactyly is 27 toes, set by a Canadian cat.

From Salon