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Glite Dictionary
heterotaxy

heterotaxy

9.9
A condition in which internal organs are in unusual positions
  • noun
  • /ˌhɛtəˈrɒtæksi/
  • Specialized
translation icon : heterotaxia
  • The surgeon diagnosed the infant with heterotaxy after noticing the unusual positions of the heart and liver.

Examples

  • Patients with heterotaxy may require complex surgical procedures to correct their organ positions.

  • Genetic testing is often recommended for families affected by heterotaxy.

  • The doctor diagnosed her with heterotaxy after the surgery.

  • Many children with heterotaxy face serious health challenges.

  • The surgeon diagnosed the infant with heterotaxy after noticing the unusual positions of the heart and liver.

  • Patients with heterotaxy may require complex surgical procedures to correct their organ positions.

  • Many children with heterotaxy face serious health challenges.

Synonyms

transposition
vsheterotaxy
  • Specialized
8.9

A condition where an organ is in the wrong place in the body

refers to abnormal arrangement of the internal organs as a whole

Surface Forms

heterotaxy singular
heterotaxies plural

Morphology

heterotaxy = taxis (opaque) = hetero + taxy

Although built from hetero- ('different') + a root meaning 'arrangement' (-taxy / taxis), the combining form -taxy is technical and unfamiliar to most learners, so the overall meaning is not derivable by an average B1 learner.

Etymology

The word heterotaxy comes from Greek parts hetero- meaning 'different', as in heterosexual, and -taxy from taxis meaning 'arrangement', as in taxonomy, a word about sorting things. So, heterotaxy describes organs in a 'different arrangement' inside the body.