malformation

[mal-fawr-mey-shuhn, -fer-]

noun

1. faulty or anomalous formation or structure, especially in a living body.

   malformation of the teeth.

malformation

/ ˌmælfɔːˈmeɪʃən /

noun

1. the condition of being faulty or abnormal in form or shape

2. pathol a deformity in the shape or structure of a part, esp when congenital

Other Word Forms

• malformed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of malformation¹

First recorded in 1790–1800; mal- + formation

Example Sentences

At the age of 21, in 2014, Charlotte was diagnosed with chiari malformation type 1 - a condition in which part of the brain pushes down into the spinal canal - and syringomyelia, a rare neurological disorder.

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The death of Izabela and her baby came months after a Constitutional Court ruling took effect that banned abortions in cases of severe foetal malformation.

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According to the research, the increase in infant mortality due to congenital malformations was consistent with women being denied abortions for non-viable pregnancies - where a pregnancy cannot possibly result in a liveborn baby.

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That’s because an infection during pregnancy can cause microcephaly, which is when a baby's head is much smaller than expected, and other congenital malformations like limb contractures, high muscle tone, eye abnormalities, and hearing loss.

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Tests on the body showed Abiyah was suffering from a catalogue of conditions including rickets, anaemia, stunted growth, bone malformation and deformity, bone fractures and severe dental decay.

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Related Words

• abnormality 
• defect 
• disfigurement 
• impairment 
• mutation