ankylodactylia
|an-ky-lo-dac-ty-li-a|
🇺🇸
/ˌæŋ.kɪ.loʊ.dækˈtɪl.i.ə/
🇬🇧
/ˌæŋ.kɪ.lə.dækˈtɪl.i.ə/
stiff or fused fingers
Etymology
'ankylodactylia' originates from Greek, specifically the elements 'ankylos' and 'daktulos', where 'ankylos' meant 'bent, crooked, or stiff' and 'daktulos' meant 'finger'.
'ankylodactylia' was formed in New Latin/medical terminology from Greek roots (ankylos + daktulos) and was adopted into English medical usage as the technical term 'ankylodactylia'.
Initially it meant 'stiff or bent finger(s)' in a literal sense, and over time it has been used specifically to denote the medical condition of finger ankylosis or fusion.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a medical condition in which one or more fingers are stiffened or fused (ankylosed), resulting in limited or absent joint movement.
The patient was diagnosed with ankylodactylia affecting the index and middle fingers.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/08/14 08:36