gigantism
/ˈdʒʌɪɡantɪz(ə)m
/ /dʒʌɪˈɡantɪz(ə)m /noun [mass noun]
1chiefly Biology Unusual or abnormal largeness.The dodo of Mauritius (a giant pigeon) is a famous example of island gigantism....
- Such gigantism usually leads to some form of extinction.
- In 1992 I visited the island of Komodo - home of the Komodo dragon - to study gigantism among reptiles.
1.1 Medicine Excessive growth due to hormonal imbalance.He published 400 papers, many of major importance, on subjects as diverse as acromegaly, Cushing's syndrome, gigantism, the effects of prolonged fasting, diabetes, and the hormone aldosterone....
- A minority of patients have gigantism / acromegaly with elevated levels of prolactin and growth hormone.
- Interest in dwarfism, gigantism, and acromegaly has spanned the centuries; literature, especially for children, is filled with stories about dwarfs and giants, while Old Testament writings have several descriptions of giants.
1.2 Botany Excessive size in plants due to polyploidy.Of course, many plant parasites stimulate their hosts causing hypertrophy and gigantism; broom formation in mistletoes, and gall formation by insects and rust fungi are examples.