kwashiorkor

American  

[kwah-shee-awr-kawr, -ker] / ˌkwɑ ʃiˈɔr kɔr, -kər /

noun

Pathology.

1. a malnutrition disease, chiefly of children, caused by severe protein and vitamin deficiency and characterized by retarded growth, changes in pigmentation, potbelly, and anemia.

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kwashiorkor British  

/ ˌkwæʃɪˈɔːkə /

noun

1. severe malnutrition of infants and young children, esp soon after weaning, resulting from dietary deficiency of protein

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kwashiorkor Scientific  

/ kwä′shē-ôr′kôr′ /

1. A severe malnutrition, seen primarily in children of tropical and subtropical regions, caused by deficiency in the quality and quantity of dietary protein. Kwahiorkor is characterized by failure to grow, anemia, liver damage, edema, discoloration of the skin or hair, and bulky stools containing undigested food.

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Etymology

Origin of kwashiorkor

1930–35; < Ga kwašiɔkɔ the influence a child is said to be under when his mother becomes pregnant with her next child; spelling with r 's is r-less speaker's representation of the vowels

Example Sentences

“Historically, the image was what people saw on TV: kids starving, kwashiorkor and flies,” he said, referring to a severe form of malnutrition marked by a swollen belly.

From Seattle Times • Oct. 29, 2023

Residents of Biafra got most of their protein from dried fish; without it, children quickly developed kwashiorkor, a protein deficiency that caused their bellies to swell.

From New York Times • Jul. 19, 2023

I am emaciated with the typical kwashiorkor belly of the malnourished.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 27, 2022

In the ER, doctors determined the girl suffered from kwashiorkor, a nutritional disorder rarely seen in the developed world.

From Scientific American • Nov. 10, 2015

Rice and soy meal help when we can get them, to balance our amino acids and keep our muscle tissue from digesting itself in the process known picturesquely as kwashiorkor.

From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver