Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
phocomelia

phocomelia

1 9.9
A condition where a baby is born without the upper part of an arm or leg
  • noun
  • /ˌfoʊkəˈmiːliə/
  • Specialized
: focomelia
  • Fraser was born with phocomelia, a condition that left his arms shortened and attached close to his body.

Examples

  • Due to phocomelia, Ana's hands are positioned near her shoulders instead of at the ends of her arms.

  • The drug, prescribed often as a sedative to treat the insomnia and morning sickness of pregnant women, produced a condition called phocomelia, which manifested as deformed limbs and other organs.

    Blog text (13)

  • Many children with phocomelia have to adapt to using their feet for tasks that others perform with their hands.

Synonyms

meromelia
vsphocomelia
  • Specialized
9.9

A birth condition where part of an arm or leg is missing

is a specific form with proximal limb loss and distal parts attached near trunk

Surface Forms

phocomelia singular
phocomelias plural

Morphology

phocomelia = phoco + melia

A learned medical term formed from Greek combining forms that are not productive English morphemes, so its meaning is not derivable by typical learners from the visible parts.

Etymology

Phocomelia comes from Greek roots phoco- meaning 'seal' and -melia meaning 'limb'. It was named this because the hands or feet can sit close to the body like a seal's flipper, so phocomelia describes very short or missing arms or legs.