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Glite Dictionary
PKU test

PKU test

1 3.5
A blood test for newborn babies to check for a genetic disease that can harm brain development if untreated
  • noun
  • /piː keɪ juː tɛst/
  • Specialized
: prueba de PKU
  • Parents are advised to have their babies undergo a PKU test shortly after birth.

Examples

  • The hospital conducted a PKU test on newborns to check for phenylketonuria.

  • This test is usually known as the PKU test.

    Blog text (24)

  • The PKU test is vital for early diagnosis of phenylketonuria in infants.

Surface Forms

PKU test singular
PKU tests plural

Morphology

PKU + test

The phrase is compositionally built: 'PKU' names a medical condition and 'test' denotes a check, so the phrase straightforwardly means 'a test for PKU.' The 'X test' noun pattern is common and cross-linguistically transparent, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would understand its basic meaning (though clinical specifics require medical knowledge).

Etymology

PKU test gets its name from the condition it checks: PKU, a short form of the disease 'phenylketonuria'. Newborns have a tiny drop of blood taken from the heel, like a small dot on a card, and this quick check finds the condition early so treatment can start and serious problems are avoided.