spina bifida: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
RareMedical/Technical
Quick answer
What does “spina bifida” mean?
A congenital medical condition in which there is incomplete closing of the spine and membranes around the spinal cord.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A congenital medical condition in which there is incomplete closing of the spine and membranes around the spinal cord.
Used medically to describe a range of neural tube defects affecting the spinal column that occur during early fetal development, varying in severity from mild to severe disability.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical differences in usage; both variants use identical terminology.
Connotations
Purely medical condition with no cultural or regional variation in connotation.
Frequency
Equal frequency in medical contexts in both regions; rare in everyday conversation.
Grammar
How to Use “spina bifida” in a Sentence
suffer from spina bifidabe born with spina bifidadiagnosed with spina bifidaVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “spina bifida” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- The spina bifida clinic
American English
- Spina bifida research
Usage
Meaning in Context
Academic
Common in medical journals, pediatric research, and neurology textbooks.
Everyday
Rare except when discussing medical conditions of family/friends.
Technical
Standard term in neurology, pediatrics, obstetrics, and genetics.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “spina bifida”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “spina bifida”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “spina bifida”
- Incorrect pluralization ('spinæ bifidæ' or 'spina bifidas'), incorrect stress placement, confusing with other spinal conditions.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It has both genetic and environmental factors; folic acid deficiency increases risk.
Treatment involves surgery, physical therapy, and management of complications, but not cured.
Through prenatal screening (ultrasound, AFP test) or at birth through physical examination.
Main types: spina bifida occulta (mildest), meningocele, myelomeningocele (most severe).
A congenital medical condition in which there is incomplete closing of the spine and membranes around the spinal cord.
Spina bifida is usually medical/technical in register.
Spina bifida: in British English it is pronounced /ˌspaɪnə ˈbɪfɪdə/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌspaɪnə ˈbɪfɪdə/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
SPINA BIFIDA = SPINE BIFURCATED (split spine) – remember the 'bifida' part sounds like 'divided'.
Conceptual Metaphor
N/A – purely medical term without metaphorical extensions.
Practice
Quiz
What is spina bifida?