aphemia
|a-phe-mi-a|
/əˈfiːmiə/
loss of speech
Etymology
'aphemia' originates from Greek, specifically the word 'aphēmía' (ἀφεμία), where the prefix 'a-' meant 'not' and 'phēmē' meant 'speech'.
'aphemia' passed into New Latin/medical Latin as 'aphemia' and was adopted into English medical usage in the 19th century with the same form and meaning.
Initially, it meant 'speechlessness' in Greek, and over time it has retained that core sense, now used clinically for a loss or severe impairment of articulate speech.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a neurological condition marked by loss or impairment of the ability to speak (a form of motor aphasia), where speech production is disrupted despite often preserved comprehension.
After the stroke, the patient developed aphemia and could not form words.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/09/16 04:02