Definition

1. Noun:
   • A genetic disorder: A medical condition that is passed from parents to offspring through genes. It is caused by abnormalities in an individual's DNA, often present from birth, though symptoms may appear later in life.

Usage

• As a subject: A hereditary disease requires careful genetic counseling.
• As an object: Researchers are studying the mechanisms of this hereditary disease.
• With modifiers: The rare hereditary disease affects the nervous system.

Examples

• In a medical context:
  • Cystic fibrosis is a well-known hereditary disease that primarily affects the lungs and digestive system.
  • Genetic testing can help determine the risk of passing on a hereditary disease.
• In a general context:
  • The family history showed a pattern of a particular hereditary disease.
  • Advances in medicine aim to find cures for various hereditary diseases.

Advanced Usage

• In genetics: The term is used to describe conditions with a clear pattern of inheritance (autosomal dominant, autosomal recessive, X-linked).
  • The pedigree chart was analyzed to trace the path of the hereditary disease through generations.
• In legal/social contexts: Sometimes discussed concerning insurance, discrimination, or family planning.
  • Laws exist to protect individuals from discrimination based on a predisposition to a hereditary disease.

Variants and Related Words

• Genetic disorder: A more general synonym.
• Inherited disorder: A phrase with identical meaning.
• Congenital disease: A related term, but this specifically refers to a condition present at birth, which may or may not be hereditary (i.e., caused by genetic factors).
• Monogenic disease: A hereditary disease caused by a mutation in a single gene (e.g., Huntington's disease).
• Familial disease: A disease that appears to occur more frequently in a family than by chance alone; it may be due to genetic or environmental factors.

Synonyms

• Genetic disease
• Inherited disease
• Genetic condition

Related Phrases

• Carrier of a hereditary disease: An individual who has one copy of a gene mutation for a recessive disorder and can pass it to offspring but typically does not show symptoms.
  • Although healthy, she discovered she was a carrier of the hereditary disease.
• Predisposition to a hereditary disease: An increased likelihood of developing a disease due to genetic factors.
  • His genetic profile indicated a predisposition to a certain hereditary disease.

Notes on Meaning

• The term hereditary disease specifically emphasizes the inheritance from ancestors. It is distinct from:
  • Acquired diseases, which are developed during a person's lifetime from environmental or lifestyle factors (e.g., scurvy, many infections).
  • Sporadic diseases, which occur without a known family history.
• While often used interchangeably with "genetic disease," some strictly genetic mutations occur spontaneously in an individual (de novo) and are not unless passed to the next generation.

Noun

1. a disease or disorder that is inherited genetically