aphasias
|a-pha-sia|
🇺🇸
/əˈfeɪʒə/
🇬🇧
/əˈfeɪzjə/
(aphasia)
language disorder
Etymology
'aphasia' originates from Greek, specifically the word 'ἀφασία' (aphasía), where the prefix 'a-' meant 'without' and 'phasis' (from 'φάσις') meant 'speech'.
'aphasia' entered medical vocabulary via French 'aphasie' and German 'Aphasie' in the 19th century and was adopted into modern English as 'aphasia' (plural 'aphasias').
Initially it meant 'speechlessness' or 'absence of speech', but over time it evolved into the clinical term for a range of language comprehension and production impairments caused by brain damage.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
loss or impairment of the ability to understand or produce language, typically caused by brain damage (for example, stroke or head injury).
Different aphasias can result from damage to specific areas of the brain.
Synonyms
Noun 2
a more general or older sense: a condition of speechlessness or greatly reduced ability to use symbolic language.
Historical descriptions of aphasias sometimes emphasized complete speechlessness rather than specific comprehension deficits.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/09/16 00:18