Congenital
kun-JEN-i-tl
/kənˈdʒɛnɪtl/
Present from birth, especially of a disease or physical abnormality.
Implies a condition that exists at or before birth, often due to genetic factors or environmental influences during fetal development, rather than being acquired later in life.
The story behind the word. The word 'congenital' comes from Latin, combining 'con-' meaning 'together' or 'with,' and 'genitus,' which is the past participle of 'gignere,' meaning 'to beget' or 'to be born.' So, 'congenital' literally means 'born with.' This perfectly captures the essence of conditions that are present at the moment of birth, distinguishing them from those acquired later in life.
Word relationships
- innate: Broader, referring to qualities present from birth, often mental or behavioral, not just physical abnormalities.
- inborn: Similar to innate, often used interchangeably with congenital for non-pathological traits.
- acquired: Developed after birth, not present from the start.
Commonly confused with
- hereditary: 'Hereditary' means passed down genetically from parents, while 'congenital' means present at birth. A condition can be congenital but not hereditary (e.g., due to a prenatal infection), or hereditary but not congenital (e.g., Huntington's disease, which manifests later in life).
Word family
- congenitally (adverb): In a congenital manner; from birth.
Collocations
- congenital defect
- congenital anomaly
- congenital disease
- congenital heart disease
Example sentences
- "The baby was born with a congenital heart defect that required immediate surgical intervention." The baby was born with a congenital heart defect that required immediate surgical intervention.
- "Many congenital conditions are now detectable early in pregnancy through advanced screening techniques." Many congenital conditions are now detectable early in pregnancy through advanced screening techniques.
- "While some congenital traits are harmless, others can significantly impact a child's health and development." While some congenital traits are harmless, others can significantly impact a child's health and development.
Memory hook
Think 'CON-GEN-ITAL' as 'CONnected to GENesis (birth) at the ITIAL (initial) stage.' Born with it
When not to use
Do not use 'congenital' for conditions acquired after birth, even if they appear early in life. It specifically refers to conditions present at birth.
Fun facts
- The study of congenital anomalies is a major focus in embryology and neonatology.
- Not all congenital conditions are genetic; some can be caused by environmental factors during pregnancy, such as infections or exposure to certain drugs.
Explore more words
innate, heredity, constitutional, idiopathic, conditioned, genetic
Also appears in
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