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Glite Dictionary
hydrocephaly

hydrocephaly

1 9.9
A medical condition where fluid builds up inside the head, making it swell and causing brain problems
  • noun
  • /ˌhaɪdrəˈsɛfəli/
  • Specialized
: hidrocefalia
  • Children with something worse than missing limbs, or hydrocephaly, or spina bifida, or muscular dystrophy, or cerebral palsy.

Examples

  • The doctors diagnosed him with hydrocephaly, which explained the swelling in his head.

  • She was born with hydrocephaly, leading to developmental delays that required special attention.

  • The patient underwent surgery to relieve the pressure caused by hydrocephaly and improve her symptoms.

Synonyms

hydrocephalus
vshydrocephaly
  • Specialized
3 9.2

Extra fluid builds up in the brain, causing the head to swell, often in babies

refers to the same fluid buildup with broader effects including later neurological problems

Surface Forms

hydrocephaly singular
hydrocephalies plural

Morphology

hydrocephaly = hydro + cephal + y

The word is built from the combining forms hydro- 'water' and cephal- 'head' plus -y, but the medical meaning is specialized and not fully predictable for an average learner.

Etymology

Hydrocephaly comes from the Greek parts hydro- meaning 'water' and -cephaly meaning 'head', so you can think of it as 'water in the head'. This helps you remember the modern meaning: extra fluid collecting in the brain that can make the head swell.