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What is congenital?

congenital

 [kuhn-jen-i-tl]   Origin

con·gen·i·tal

   [kuhn-jen-i-tl]
adjective
1.
of or pertaining to a condition present at birth, whether inherited or caused by the environment, especially the uterine environment.
2.
having by nature a specified character: a congenital fool.
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Origin:
1790–1800; < Latin congenit(us) connate (con- con- + geni-, variant stem of gignere to give birth + -tus past participle suffix) + -al1

Related forms
con·gen·i·tal·ly, adverb
con·gen·i·tal·ness, noun
non·con·gen·i·tal, adjective

Synonyms
1. See innate.

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Congenital is always a great word to know.
So is lollapalooza. Does it mean:
an arrangement of five objects, as trees, in a square or rectangle, one at each corner and one in the middle.
an extraordinary or unusual thing, person, or event; an exceptional example or instance.
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Collins
World English Dictionary
congenital (kənˈdʒɛnɪtəl)
 
—adj
1.  denoting or relating to any nonhereditary condition, esp an abnormal condition, existing at birth: congenital blindness
2.  informal complete, as if from birth: a congenital idiot
 
[C18: from Latin congenitus born together with, from genitus born, from gignere to bear, beget]
 
con'genitally
 
—adv
 
con'genitalness
 
—n

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History

congenital
"existing from birth," 1796, from L. congenitus, from con- "together, with" + genitus, pp. of gignere "to beget" (see genus). The sense formerly belonged to congenial. Related: Congenitally (1862).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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American Heritage
Medical Dictionary

congenital con·gen·i·tal (kən-jěn'ĭ-tl)
adj.

  1. Existing at or before birth usually through heredity, as a disorder.

  2. Acquired at birth or during uterine development usually as a result of environmental influences.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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American Heritage
Science Dictionary
congenital   (kən-jěn'ĭ-tl)  Pronunciation Key 
Existing at or before birth, as a defect or Medical condition.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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American Heritage
Cultural Dictionary
congenital [(kuhn-jen-i-tl)]

A descriptive term for a disease or condition that is present at birth. A congenital disease can be either hereditary or acquired.

The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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