developmental anatomy
- noun
- /dɪˌvɛl.əpˈmɛn.təl əˈnæt.ə.mi/
- Specialized
:
anatomía del desarrollo
- Studying developmental anatomy helps medical students understand how the human body changes from an embryo to an adult.
Examples
-
A precise description of the developmental anatomy of the facial nerve and associated ear structures, augmented by an appreciation of phylogenetic history, has proven extremely helpful intraoperatively.
Academic text (2003) -
Accurate recognition and successful treatment of first branchial cleft anomalies depend upon the physician's alertness, early diagnosis, and understanding of developmental anatomy.
Academic text (1998) -
The professor emphasized the importance of developmental anatomy in understanding congenital malformations in newborns.
-
Courses in developmental anatomy are crucial for future surgeons who need to comprehend the growth of various body structures.
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase is compositional: 'developmental' (connected to growth) modifies 'anatomy' (study of physical structures) to indicate the branch of anatomy dealing with structural change during development. This is a standard scientific noun–adjective compound found across languages, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents can reliably infer the MWE meaning.
Etymology
Developmental anatomy comes from the words developmental meaning 'growth over time' and anatomy meaning 'body parts'. It creates a picture of watching a body change 'from the first cell to adulthood', so it means the study of how body structures form and change.
