atelomyelia
|a-te-lo-my-e-li-a|
🇺🇸
/ˌætəloʊmaɪˈiːliə/
🇬🇧
/ˌætələʊmaɪˈiːliə/
incomplete spinal cord
Etymology
'atelomyelia' originates from Greek via New Latin, specifically the elements 'atelēs' and 'myelós', where 'atelēs' meant 'imperfect, incomplete' and 'myelós' meant 'marrow' or 'spinal cord'.
'atelomyelia' was formed in modern medical Latin/New Latin from the Greek roots 'atelēs' + 'myelós' and entered English as a coinage used in medical terminology to describe imperfect development of the spinal cord.
Initially, the components conveyed the idea of an 'imperfect (or incomplete) spinal cord'; the modern usage specifies a congenital underdevelopment or incomplete formation of the spinal cord.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a congenital condition characterized by incomplete development or underdevelopment (hypoplasia) of the spinal cord.
The newborn was found to have atelomyelia, resulting in reduced motor function below the lesion.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/11/10 04:42