aplastic
|a-plas-tic|
/əˈplæs.tɪk/
not formed / lacking development
Etymology
'aplastic' originates from New Latin (medical New Latin), specifically the word 'aplasticus', where the prefix 'a-' meant 'not' and 'plasticus' came from Greek 'plastikos' meaning 'fit for molding'.
'aplastic' changed from Neo-Latin 'aplasticus' (used in medical Latin) into English medical usage in the late 19th century as 'aplastic'.
Initially, it meant 'not capable of being formed' (literally 'not moldable'), and over time it has come to mean 'lacking normal formation or development', especially of tissues or organs in medical contexts.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
relating to or characterized by aplasia; lacking normal development or formation of a tissue or organ (often used in medical contexts, e.g., aplastic anemia meaning bone marrow fails to produce cells).
The patient was diagnosed with aplastic anemia after tests showed the bone marrow was not producing blood cells.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/09/18 11:48