# What's the word for people with no limbs? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 31, 2000, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-word-for-people-with-no-limbs/47843 "2000-12-31T00:39:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Turpentine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecd19e/32.png) [@Turpentine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turpentine)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2000, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-word-for-people-with-no-limbs/47843/1 "2000-12-31T00:39:05Z")
I need a word for these fraternal twins I know who are thalydimide babies- They don’t have any arms or legs. they can’t be called amputees, because they were born that way. What’s a polite way of referring to their condition? ---
**Author:** ![jcgmoi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a9adbd/32.png) [@jcgmoi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jcgmoi)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2000, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-word-for-people-with-no-limbs/47843/2 "2000-12-31T00:55:17Z")
Webster says _apodal_, having no limbs, feet, or foot-like appendages. Accented on 1st syllable. ---
**Author:** ![zev\_steinhardt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/97f17d/32.png) [@zev\_steinhardt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zev_steinhardt)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2000, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-word-for-people-with-no-limbs/47843/3 "2000-12-31T01:35:24Z")
No legs: paraplegic No arms/legs quadraplegic Zev Steinhardt ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2000, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-word-for-people-with-no-limbs/47843/4 "2000-12-31T01:48:18Z")
[bad joke] First base. [/bad joke] While I think apodal might be the technically correct term, I would simply say _limbless_ to be sure of being understood. [nitpickin’ good fun] I always though the Latin root _pod-_ simply meant _foot_, hence _gastropod_ (stomach-footed) and _cephalopod_ (head-footed). [/nits done been picked] ---
**Author:** ![Yeah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/dbc845/32.png) [@Yeah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yeah)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2000, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-word-for-people-with-no-limbs/47843/5 "2000-12-31T02:39:06Z")
The general term for “Gross hypo- or aplasia of one or more long bones of one or more limbs” is ectromelia. “The concept includes amelia, hemimelia, and phocomelia.” (from the National Library of Medicine) Note: hypoplasia is “a condition of arrested development in which an organ or part remains below the normal size or in an immature state.” From Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary. Aplasia is when an organ or part fails to develop at all. The form of ectromelia associated with exposure to thalidomide in utero is “phocomelia” which is a particular type of hypolasia in which the limbs are “seal-like,” hence the term phocomelia which means “seal limbs.” ---
**Author:** ![Yeah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/dbc845/32.png) [@Yeah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yeah)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2000, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-word-for-people-with-no-limbs/47843/6 "2000-12-31T02:46:32Z")
“No legs: paraplegic No arms/legs quadraplegic” No cigar. The “plegic” part of both words denotes paralysis. If a person doesn’t have a limb the limb cannot be considered paralyzed so a person without legs couldn’t be paraplegic and a person without arms/legs couldn’t be quadriplegic. ---
**Author:** ![Anonymous\_Coward](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/94ad74/32.png) [@Anonymous\_Coward](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anonymous_Coward)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2000, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-word-for-people-with-no-limbs/47843/7 "2000-12-31T03:50:06Z")
\ Q: What do you call a man with no arms or legs in a swimming pool? A: Bob 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Booker57](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Booker57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Booker57)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2000, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-word-for-people-with-no-limbs/47843/8 "2000-12-31T03:51:14Z")
\ What do you call a man with no arms or legs? Matt Where do you find a dog with no legs? Right where you left it. \ ---
**Author:** ![fenrir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/43a26b/32.png) [@fenrir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fenrir)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2000, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-word-for-people-with-no-limbs/47843/9 "2000-12-31T05:14:37Z")
What do you do with a dog that has no legs? Take him for a drag. What do you call a cow with no legs? Ground beef. ---
**Author:** ![Rysdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7cd45c/32.png) [@Rysdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysdad)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2000, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-word-for-people-with-no-limbs/47843/10 "2000-12-31T05:23:54Z")
Under a car: Jack In a pothole: Phil ---
**Author:** ![King\_Rat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7bcc69/32.png) [@King\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/King_Rat)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2000, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-word-for-people-with-no-limbs/47843/11 "2000-12-31T05:53:47Z")
Hanging on a mountain ledge: Cliff Hanging on a wall: Art ---
**Author:** ![jb\_farley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9d8465/32.png) [@jb\_farley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jb_farley)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2000, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-word-for-people-with-no-limbs/47843/12 "2000-12-31T06:08:08Z")
two of em standing by a window? Curt ‘n’ Rod. jb ---
**Author:** ![jb\_farley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9d8465/32.png) [@jb\_farley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jb_farley)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2000, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-word-for-people-with-no-limbs/47843/13 "2000-12-31T06:09:47Z")
> [@](#): > > What do you do with a dog that has no legs? > Take him for a drag. Why did the guy call his dog with no legs “Cigarette”? Cuz every once in a while he’d take him out for a drag. jb ---
**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2000, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-word-for-people-with-no-limbs/47843/14 "2000-12-31T06:16:54Z")
As pleased as I am to encounter jokes that are actually older than I am, could we please dispense with the wisecracks and help out the OP, if a scientific term exists besides apodal? ---
**Author:** ![jb\_farley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9d8465/32.png) [@jb\_farley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jb_farley)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2000, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-word-for-people-with-no-limbs/47843/15 "2000-12-31T06:40:43Z")
you mean I didn’t make that up? jb ---
**Author:** ![Speaker\_for\_the\_Dead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c77e96/32.png) [@Speaker\_for\_the\_Dead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Speaker_for_the_Dead)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2000, 7:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-word-for-people-with-no-limbs/47843/16 "2000-12-31T07:13:32Z")
There was a thread about people without limbs, I think. I just have to say these two: What do you call a cow with 2 legs? Lean beef What do you call a cow with no legs on the side of a hill? Lean groud beef ---
**Author:** ![Max\_the\_Immortal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6de8d8/32.png) [@Max\_the\_Immortal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_the_Immortal)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2000, 9:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-word-for-people-with-no-limbs/47843/17 "2000-12-31T09:09:59Z")
> [@](#): > > What’s a polite way of referring to their condition? \*\* Basket case? _ducks and runs_ ---
**Author:** ![jb\_farley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9d8465/32.png) [@jb\_farley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jb_farley)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2000, 9:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-word-for-people-with-no-limbs/47843/18 "2000-12-31T09:14:25Z")
I just learned the other day where that phrase comes from! That’s hilarious! (but mean- ahem, yes very mean) jb, tee hee ---
**Author:** ![zev\_steinhardt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/97f17d/32.png) [@zev\_steinhardt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zev_steinhardt)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2000, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-word-for-people-with-no-limbs/47843/19 "2000-12-31T14:25:49Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Yeah \* > \*\* > > The “plegic” part of both words denotes paralysis. If a person doesn’t have a limb the limb cannot be considered paralyzed so a person without legs couldn’t be paraplegic and a person without arms/legs couldn’t be quadriplegic. \*\* After checking [m-w.com](http://m-w.com), I see that you are right. I stand corrected and thank you **Yeah**. Zev Steinhardt ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2000, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-word-for-people-with-no-limbs/47843/20 "2000-12-31T14:57:08Z")
I was watching a show last night about old-style Sideshows, with interviews of people who had been in some. The monkey-faced girl, the alligator boy, the human balloon, the half-girl and the dog-boy (not all were interviewed). I realise that this definitely doesn’t apply to all people like this, but these freaks were perfectly satisfied referring to themselves as _freaks_. 'twas really cool, too. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-word-for-people-with-no-limbs/47843.md?page=2)