anencephaly: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2 (Very Low Frequency / Technical)Technical/Specialized Medical
Quick answer
What does “anencephaly” mean?
A severe congenital medical condition where a baby is born without parts of the brain and skull.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A severe congenital medical condition where a baby is born without parts of the brain and skull.
In medical discourse, it denotes a fatal neural tube defect where the cephalic (head) end of the neural tube fails to close, resulting in the absence of a major portion of the brain, skull, and scalp. It is incompatible with prolonged life.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical or definitional differences. Spelling is identical. Contexts of use (obstetrics, neurology, ethics) are the same.
Connotations
Identically grave and clinical in both varieties.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in general language, confined to specialized fields in both regions.
Grammar
How to Use “anencephaly” in a Sentence
The ultrasound revealed anencephaly.Anencephaly is a neural tube defect.The fetus was diagnosed with anencephaly.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “anencephaly” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- The anencephalic fetus
- An anencephalic condition
American English
- An anencephalic infant
- An anencephalic diagnosis
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not applicable.
Academic
Primary context. Used in medical journals, textbooks on teratology, embryology, and bioethics seminars.
Everyday
Virtually never used in casual conversation due to its highly specific and sensitive nature.
Technical
Core context. Found in radiology reports, prenatal diagnostic summaries, and pediatric neurology case notes.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “anencephaly”
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “anencephaly”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “anencephaly”
- Mispronunciation: /ˌænənˈkɛfəli/ (incorrect stress and vowel).
- Misspelling: 'anencephaly' vs. 'anenchephaly'.
- Confusing with microcephaly (small head) or hydrocephaly (fluid on the brain).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Anencephaly is a congenital absence of major brain structures. Brain death is the irreversible loss of all brain function in a person who was born with a normally formed brain.
Most infants with anencephaly are stillborn or die within hours or days after birth. Prolonged survival beyond a few weeks is extremely rare.
The exact cause is not fully understood but involves a combination of genetic and environmental factors affecting the closure of the neural tube early in pregnancy. Lack of maternal folic acid is a known risk factor.
Not in all cases, but the risk can be significantly reduced by adequate intake of folic acid before and during early pregnancy.
A severe congenital medical condition where a baby is born without parts of the brain and skull.
Anencephaly is usually technical/specialized medical in register.
Anencephaly: in British English it is pronounced /ˌænɛnˈsɛfəli/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌænɛnˈsɛfəli/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'AN-encephaly' as 'AN-' (without) + 'ENCEPHAL-' (brain) → 'without a brain'.
Conceptual Metaphor
Often framed as a 'failure of closure' (the neural tube) or a 'catastrophic developmental error'.
Practice
Quiz
Anencephaly is primarily discussed in which field?