Definition

1. Noun:
   • A physical defect or abnormality in the shape or structure of a body part: A condition where a part of the body is incorrectly formed, often present from birth.
   • Something that is abnormally or faultily formed: Can refer more generally to any structure or object that is misshapen or deformed.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • The ultrasound revealed a congenital malformation of the baby's heart.
  • The tree's unusual growth was a malformation caused by a fungal infection.
  • Surgeons can sometimes correct skeletal malformations.

Advanced Usage

• "Congenital malformation": A structural defect present at birth.
  • Advances in prenatal screening help detect congenital malformations early.
• "Arteriovenous malformation (AVM)": A specific medical term for an abnormal tangle of blood vessels connecting arteries and veins.
  • The patient was diagnosed with a brain arteriovenous malformation.

Variants and Related Words

• Malformed (adjective): Having a faulty or abnormal shape.
  • The malformed limb required specialized care.
• Deformity (noun): A distorted or misshapen part; often used similarly to "malformation."
  • The accident left him with a permanent deformity.

Synonyms

• Abnormality: A feature that is not normal or typical.
• Defect: An imperfection or shortcoming.
• Anomaly: Something that deviates from what is standard or expected.

Antonyms

• Normality: The condition of being normal.
• Regularity: The state of having a consistent or symmetrical form.

Related Phrases

• Birth defect: A health problem present at birth, which can include malformations.
  • Folic acid can help prevent certain types of birth defects.
• Structural abnormality: A general term for any irregularity in the form of a body part or object.

Noun

1. something abnormal or anomalous
2. an affliction in which some part of the body is misshapen or malformed