congenital

[ kuhn-jen-i-tl ]

See synonyms for: congenital congenitally on Thesaurus.com

adjective

of or relating to a condition present at birth, whether inherited or caused by the environment, especially the uterine environment.
having by nature a specified character:a congenital fool.

Origin of congenital

First recorded in 1790–1800; from Latin congenit(us) “inborn, innate” (con- con- + geni-, variant stem of gignere “to give birth” + -tus past participle suffix) + -al¹

synonym study For congenital

1. See innate.

Other words from congenital

con·gen·i·tal·ly, adverb
con·gen·i·tal·ness, noun
non·con·gen·i·tal, adjective

Words Nearby congenital

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use congenital in a sentence

Techshot also envisions someday using artificial tissue and organs to help treat diseases, and even congenital defects.
NASA inches closer to printing artificial organs in space | Tatyana Woodall | June 18, 2021 | MIT Technology Review
Despite having been diagnosed with a congenital heart condition,“she worked day and night—walked in the heat to different centers as and when assigned,” Dinesh says.
'Our Lives Don't Matter.' India's Female Community Health Workers Say the Government Is Failing to Protect Them From COVID-19 | Nilanjana Bhowmick / New Delhi | May 5, 2021 | Time
Cunningham-Rundles treats many patients with congenital immune system deficiencies.
What immunosuppressed patients should know about the coronavirus vaccines | Lindsey Bever | April 23, 2021 | Washington Post
Early on, my vet back home delivered the crushing news that Scout had a congenital kidney disease.
I have the pandemic to thank for this precious time with my old hound, Teddy | Diana Nyad | December 21, 2020 | Washington Post
Mabry’s ex-wife worked in a hospital, so two of their kids, including one with a congenital condition, moved in with him.
As COVID-19 Ravaged This Iowa City, Officials Discovered Meatpacking Executives Were the Ones in Charge | by Michael Grabell and Bernice Yeung | December 21, 2020 | ProPublica

British Dictionary definitions for congenital

congenital

/ (kənˈdʒɛnɪtəl) /

adjective

denoting or relating to any nonhereditary condition, esp an abnormal condition, existing at birth: congenital blindness
informal complete, as if from birth: a congenital idiot

Origin of congenital

C18: from Latin congenitus born together with, from genitus born, from gignere to bear, beget

Derived forms of congenital

congenitally, adverb
congenitalness, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for congenital

congenital

[ kən-jĕn′ĭ-tl ]

Existing at or before birth, as a defect or medical condition.

Cultural definitions for congenital

congenital

[ (kuhn-jen-i-tl) ]

A descriptive term for a disease or condition that is present at birth. A congenital disease can be either hereditary or acquired.

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