ankyloglossia
|an-ky-lo-glos-sia|
🇺🇸
/ˌæŋkɪloʊˈɡlɑsiə/
🇬🇧
/ˌæŋkɪləˈɡlɒsiə/
tongue-tie (short/restrictive frenulum)
Etymology
'ankyloglossia' originates from New Latin/medical coinage, ultimately from Greek 'ankylos' and 'glōssa', where 'ankylos' meant 'bent, crooked, or stiff' and 'glōssa' meant 'tongue'.
'ankyloglossia' was formed in Neo-Latin/medical terminology from Greek elements: Greek 'ankylos' + 'glōssa' → Neo-Latin/medical formation 'ankyloglossia', which entered English as the technical term for tongue-tie.
Initially the Greek roots described 'a bent or stiff tongue'; in modern medical English it specifically denotes the congenital condition of a short or restrictive lingual frenulum ('tongue-tie').
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a congenital condition commonly called tongue-tie in which the lingual frenulum (the fold of mucous membrane under the tongue) is abnormally short, thick, or tight, restricting tongue movement and sometimes affecting feeding, speech, or oral hygiene.
The infant was diagnosed with ankyloglossia and underwent a simple frenotomy to improve feeding.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Adjective 1
relating to or characteristic of ankyloglossia (adjectival form of the base noun).
The report described features consistent with ankyloglossia affecting feeding.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/08/14 09:07