achondroplasia

American  

[ay-kon-druh-play-zhuh, -zhee-uh, -zee-uh] / eɪˌkɒn drəˈpleɪ ʒə, -ʒi ə, -zi ə /

noun

Pathology.

1. defective conversion of cartilage into bone, especially at the epiphyses of long bones, producing a type of dwarfism.

---

achondroplasia British  

/ eɪˌkɒndrəʊˈpleɪzɪə /

noun

1. a skeletal disorder, characterized by failure of normal conversion of cartilage into bone, that begins during fetal life and results in dwarfism

---

Other Word Forms

• achondroplastic
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of achondroplasia

First recorded in 1890–95; a- ⁶ + chondro- + -plasia

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

achondroplasia

Hannah has achondroplasia, a bone growth disorder that causes dwarfism.

From BBC ● Jun. 14, 2025

Currently, the only approved therapy for children with achondroplasia in Australia is vosoritide, a daily injection, which was added to the PBS last year.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 18, 2024

A promising daily tablet is effective at increasing height and improving proportional limb growth in children with achondroplasia, the most common form of dwarfism, according to a new study.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 18, 2024

A brass band, clowns, children, wives, babies, the company’s leader and seven performers with achondroplasia, a bone growth disorder that causes the more common type of dwarfism, spilled out into the sun.

From New York Times ● Jul. 12, 2023

Analogous to rachitis is achondroplasia, or the so called fetal rickets—a disease in which deformity results from an arrest, absence, or perversion of the normal process of enchondral ossification.

From Anomalies and Curiosities of Medicine by Walter L. (Walter Lytle) Pyle