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Glite Dictionary
brachydactyly

brachydactyly

1 9.9
An inherited condition that makes fingers and toes much shorter than normal
  • noun
  • /ˌbrækɪˈdæktəli/
  • Specialized
: braquidactilia
  • People with brachydactyly often find it challenging to grip objects due to their short digits.

Examples

  • Brachydactyly and/or clinodactyly were consistent features in the hands and/or feet.

    Academic text (2015)

  • Brachydactyly is a condition that can affect both the hands and feet, making the fingers and toes brachydactyly than usual.

  • Doctors diagnosed the child with brachydactyly after noting his unusually short fingers.

Synonyms

brachydactylia
vsbrachydactyly
  • Specialized
9.9

A condition where fingers and toes are unusually short from birth

has identical meaning but uses a different word form or spelling

Antonyms

macrodactyly
  • Specialized
9.9

A finger or toe much larger than normal because its bone and soft parts grew too much

Surface Forms

brachydactyly singular
brachydactylies plural

Morphology

brachydactyly = brachydactyl (semi-transparent) = brachy + dactyl + y

The term 'brachydactyl' suggests short fingers or toes, but the medical condition meaning is specialized.

Etymology

Brachydactyly comes from Greek parts brachy- 'short' and dactyl 'finger', the same dactyl in pterodactyl. So brachydactyly literally means 'short fingers' and names the medical condition where the fingers and toes are unusually short.