megacephaly

9.9

A person whose whole head is much larger than normal and not from fluid build-up in the brain

noun
/ˌmɛɡəˈsɛfəli/

Specialized

: megacefalia

Unlike hydrocephalus, megacephaly does not result in increased intracranial pressure.

Examples

The child was diagnosed with megacephaly after doctors noticed the unusually large size of his head.
Doctors are studying the effects of megacephaly on development.
Genetic factors can sometimes lead to megacephaly in infants.
The infant was diagnosed with megacephaly at birth.
The child was diagnosed with megacephaly after doctors noticed the unusually large size of his head.
Genetic factors can sometimes lead to megacephaly in infants.
Doctors are studying the effects of megacephaly on development.

Synonyms

megalocephaly

vsmegacephaly

Specialized

9.9

A very large head with even growth on both sides that is not caused by fluid in the brain

is the same condition but differs only in the specific term form

macrocephaly

vsmegacephaly

Specialized

9.9

A condition in which a person has an unusually large head

has identical medical meaning but differs only in its term form

macrencephaly

vsmegacephaly

Specialized

9.9

An unusually large skull that holds the brain

focuses on whole head enlargement rather than only the braincase

Antonyms

microcephaly

Specialized

1 9.8

A condition where a baby has a much smaller head and a less developed brain causing development problems

How Big

megacephaly

Specialized

9.9

macrocephaly

Specialized

9.9

large-headed

5.0

normal

∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

megacephaly singular

megacephalies plural

Morphology

megacephaly = megacephalic (opaque) = mega + cephal + y

The noun is regularly formed from the adjective 'megacephalic' by adding '-y' to denote a condition or state.

Etymology

Megacephaly comes from old Greek parts mega- 'large' and cephalē 'head', and you can remember mega- from words like megabyte that mean 'very big'. So it simply means a very large head, which is the medical meaning today.