siamese twin

Thân thiện

A pair of Siamese twins sit together on a park bench.

Definition

Noun: 1. A person who is one of a pair of monozygotic (identical) twins born with their physical bodies connected at a specific point. This is a historical and now generally considered outdated or insensitive term for the condition now medically known as conjoined twins. The term originated from the famous 19th-century brothers Chang and Eng Bunker, who were born in Siam (now Thailand).

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The historical term "siamese twin" is derived from Chang and Eng Bunker.
  • Modern medical literature prefers the term "conjoined twin" over "siamese twin."

Advanced Usage

• The term can be used metaphorically to describe two things that are very closely linked or inseparable, though this usage is also declining due to the term's potentially offensive connotations.
  • The two political issues became a siamese twin, impossible to address separately.

Variants and Related Words

• Conjoined twin (n): The modern, standard medical and preferred term for the condition.
• Craniopagus (n): Conjoined twins joined at the head.
• Thoracopagus (n): Conjoined twins joined at the chest.
• Pyopagus (n): Conjoined twins joined at the buttocks.

Synonyms

• Conjoined twin (preferred synonym)
• Double monster (archaic and highly offensive medical term)

Related Idioms

• "Joined at the hip": An idiom meaning two people are constantly together or very closely associated. This is a common, figurative replacement for the metaphorical use of "siamese twin."
  • Those two best friends are practically joined at the hip.

Học thuật

Noun

1. one of a pair of identical twins born with their bodies joined at some point

Từ đồng nghĩa

• Siamese twin
• conjoined twin