malformation
Americannoun
noun
-
the condition of being faulty or abnormal in form or shape
-
pathol a deformity in the shape or structure of a part, esp when congenital
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of malformation
Explanation
A malformation is something that doesn't have a normal shape or structure. A baby born with a heart malformation may need surgery to correct it so that her heart functions properly. Malformation is commonly used in medicine for body parts that aren't formed in the typical way. Many of these are congenital malformations, which develop before a baby is born. Frequently, malformations result in nothing more than different-looking bodies, but sometimes they're serious enough to cause problems, like a brain malformation that causes bleeding or a palate malformation that makes eating a challenge. Mal- means "bad," and here it's added to formation, "act of being formed."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Following his 2005 breakout season, he was diagnosed with Müller-Weiss syndrome, which causes a malformation of the navicular bone in the midfoot.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 18, 2026
Congenital brain malformation researcher Patrícia Garcez and neuroscientist Stevens Rehen, who led the two projects respectively, have told the BBC they believe the answer may be a combination of these and other factors.
From BBC ● Aug. 3, 2025
Roughly 4% of the population is affected by a congenital brain malformation that has eluded researchers' efforts to find causes and treatments.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 18, 2024
Its stems are curiously inclined, by a benign malformation known as fasciation, to twist and flatten into a fantail shape.
From Seattle Times ● Mar. 6, 2024
Instead, I recited, “I have an extremely rare genetic disorder that causes malformation of the limbs.”
From "Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus" by Dusti Bowling
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
