fragile X syndrome

[ fraj-uhl eks-sin-drohm, -druhm; British fraj ahyl ]

/ ˈfrædʒ əl ˈɛks ˌsɪn droʊm, -drəm; British ˈfrædʒ aɪl /

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noun

an inherited genetic disorder caused by a faulty gene on the X chromosome and having various possible effects, including developmental delays in infancy and early childhood, learning disabilities, intellectual disability, and a number of social, behavioral, and physical difficulties.

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Origin of fragile X syndrome

First recorded in 1980–85

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

How to use fragile X syndrome in a sentence

Domestically, the prime minister maintains the dubious line that he is the only man who can keep the still-fragile peace.
Cambodia’s Smoke-and-Mirrors Democracy|David Shaftel|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
The gym—a fragile collective of human ecology at the best of times—has suddenly become even more tense.
How to Survive the New Year ‘Gympocalypse’|Tim Teeman|January 6, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Advanced maternal age dramatically increases the risk of maternal mortality as well as birth defects like Down Syndrome.
Men Will Someday Have Kids Without Women|Samantha Allen|January 3, 2015|DAILY BEAST
An x-ray two hours later confirms my hunch: my tibia (the big bone behind the shin) is snapped clean in two.
You’re Never ‘Cured’ of an Eating Disorder|Carrie Arnold|December 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST

It's about the delicate fabric of the universe and how our fragile insides crumble when that fabric is torn.
Alfred Hitchcock’s Fade to Black: The Great Director’s Final Days|David Freeman|December 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He thought they were now in touch with our troops at "X" but that they had been through some hard fighting to get there.
Gallipoli Diary, Volume I|Ian Hamilton
W was a Watchman, and guarded the door; X was expensive, and so became poor.
Boys and Girls Bookshelf; a Practical Plan of Character Building, Volume I (of 17)|Various
Idly his pen traced upon the paper in front of him a large X, the sign of the unknown quantity.
Uncanny Tales|Various
The Professor took his pen and wrote a large X upon the sheet of paper in front of him.
Uncanny Tales|Various
Bang went the fragile bulb, as it splintered into a thousand atoms, and the mercury shot in sparkling globules over the table.
The Pit Town Coronet, Volume I (of 3)|Charles James Wills

British Dictionary definitions for fragile X syndrome

fragile-X syndrome

noun

an inherited condition characterized by mental subnormality: affected individuals have an X-chromosome that is easily damaged under certain conditions

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