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Glite Dictionary
anencephalia

anencephalia

9.9
A birth defect where most of the brain, especially the top part, does not develop or is missing
  • noun
  • /ˌænənˈsɛfəliə/
  • Specialized
translation icon : anencefalia
  • The prenatal scan revealed that the fetus was affected by anencephalia, a serious neural tube defect.

Examples

  • After birth, doctors diagnosed the newborn with anencephalia, confirming the absence of major brain structures.

  • Doctors explained that anencephalia typically results in the absence of the cerebral hemispheres at birth.

  • Research into the causes of anencephalia has led to important insights in prenatal health.

  • The baby was born with anencephalia.

  • Doctors diagnosed the infant with anencephalia shortly after birth.

  • Doctors explained that anencephalia leads to missing parts of the brain, particularly the cerebral hemispheres, at birth.

  • The prenatal scan showed that the fetus was affected by anencephalia, indicating a significant congenital defect.

Synonyms

anencephaly
vsanencephalia
  • Specialized
1 9.9

A serious birth defect where most of a baby's brain and skull do not form

focuses on absence or underdevelopment of major brain regions rather than skull loss

Surface Forms

anencephalia singular
anencephalias plural

Morphology

anencephalia = anencephaly (semi-transparent) = an + encephal + ia

The negative prefix 'an-' and noun-forming '-ia' are recognizable, but the root 'encephal-' is a specialized Greek combining form meaning 'brain' and is not a standalone English word, so the composition is only partially transparent to average learners.

Etymology

Anencephalia comes from the Greek parts an- meaning 'without' and encephalon meaning 'brain' or 'in the head'. So anencephalia literally means 'without brain', which helps you remember it is a serious condition where a baby is born missing large parts of the brain.