Skip to main content
syndactylism

syndactylism

1 9.9
A condition in which fingers or toes are joined by skin from birth
  • noun
  • /ˌsɪnˈdæktɪlɪzəm/
  • Specialized
: sindactilismo
  • Children born with syndactylism may require surgical separation of their fingers for improved function.

Examples

  • Doctors diagnosed him with syndactylism after observing the webbing between his toes at birth.

  • The surgeon specialized in treating syndactylism and other congenital hand deformities.

  • My brother was born with syndactylism in his hands.

  • Doctors can correct syndactylism with surgery.

  • Doctors diagnosed him with syndactylism after observing the webbing between his toes at birth.

  • Children born with syndactylism may require surgical separation of their fingers for improved function.

  • The surgeon specialized in treating syndactylism and other congenital hand deformities.

Synonyms

syndactyly
vssyndactylism
  • Specialized
1 9.9

A condition where at least two fingers or toes are joined from birth

is limited to joining by webbing rather than by fusion
palmature
vssyndactylism
  • Specialized
9.9

A condition where skin joins two or more fingers from birth

is broader involving toes as well as fingers joined by webbing

Antonyms

220 2.6

The process of moving apart or staying apart

How Fused

syndactylism
  • Specialized
1 9.9
disjointed
1 5.5

Surface Forms

syndactylism singular
syndactylisms plural

Morphology

syndactylism = syndactyly (opaque) = syn + dactyl + ism

The immediate base 'syndactyly' is a specialized medical term built from Greek combining forms, so its sense is not predictable for average learners.

Etymology

Syndactylism comes from the Greek parts syn- 'together' and dactyl 'finger', and you can see the same idea in the common word digit which also means 'finger' or 'toe'. So syndactylism literally means 'fingers together', which explains the condition where two or more fingers or toes are joined.