Congenital
adjective
Something that exists at or before birth, normally due to genetics.
He was diagnosed with a congenital heart defect.
Often appears as...
- congenital disorder
- congenital disease
Usage tips
Academic
adjective
Describing someone or a part of their character that has been present since birth or for a long time.
His congenital optimism never faded, even in the face of adversity.
Often appears as...
- congenital optimist
- congenital reluctance
adjective
Something that exists at or before birth, normally due to genetics.
He was diagnosed with a congenital heart defect.
Often appears as...
- congenital disorder
- congenital disease
Usage tips
Academic
adjective
Describing someone or a part of their character that has been present since birth or for a long time.
His congenital optimism never faded, even in the face of adversity.
Often appears as...
- congenital optimist
- congenital reluctance
Definition 1 of 2
Pro Tip 1/3Medical Context
Usually seen in medical discussions describing health conditions from birth.
A congenital malformation was detected during the ultrasound.
Pro Tip 2/3Not Always Genetic
While often genetic, it can also refer to conditions caused by the environment pre-birth.
The baby's congenital issues were due to prenatal exposure to toxins.
Pro Tip 3/3Permanent Nature
Conditions described as congenital are typically permanent but may not always affect life negatively.
Despite his congenital blindness, he became a successful musician.
Compare with
constitutiongenetichereditaryinborninherentinnatenaturalorganic
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Video examples
"Good" and "bad" are...
their goal was simply to help her be as independent as possible so that she could fulfill her potential, however that looked for her. But the culture at large does not take this open attitude about disabilities. We call congenital differences "birth defects," as though human beings were objects on a factory line.
Video examples
Your body language may...
She shows that people who are born with sight and people who are congenitally blind do this when they win at a physical competition. So when they cross the finish line and they've won, it doesn't matter if they've never seen anyone do it. They do this. So the arms up in the V, the chin is slightly lifted.
Video examples
Alice Dreger: Is anatomy...
who was born a boy, raised a boy, had a girlfriend, had sex with his girlfriend, had a life as a guy, and had just found out that he had ovaries and a uterus inside. What he had was an extreme form of a condition called congenital adrenal hyperplasia. He had XX chromosomes,
Video examples
Your body language...
people who are congenitally blind do this when they win at a physical competition so when they cross the finish line and they've won it doesn't matter if they've never seen anyone do it they do this so the arms up in the V the chin is slightly lifted what do we
Video examples
Todd Kuiken: A...
Arm amputation is usually caused by trauma, with things like industrial accidents, motor vehicle collisions or, very poignantly, war. There are also some children who are born without arms, called congenital limb deficiency. Unfortunately, we don't do great
Video examples
A brief history of dogs...
with many new ones bred purely for appearance. Sadly, while all dog breeds are the product of artificial selection, some are healthier than others. Many of these aesthetic characteristics come with congenital health problems,
Video examples
Pawan Sinha on how...
The whites that you see in the middle of his pupils are congenital cataracts, so opacities of the lens. In our eyes, the lens is clear, but in this child, the lens has become opaque, and therefore he can't see the world.
Video examples
Can we cure genetic...
Base editors have also been used in animals to reverse the consequence of tyrosinemia, beta thalassemia, muscular dystrophy, phenylketonuria, a congenital deafness and a type of cardiovascular disease --
Video examples
You're Wrong PIPE National...
it's also true I think it's false you go false as it congenital liar yes I think it's fun as you don't want to die no stress in my life at all and you lie through life constantly and he's hoping
Video examples
Lifelike simulations...
and it goes back into the body. We save her life, and get her safely to the operating room. Here's the these disorders -- what is known is congenital diaphragmatic hernia --
Video examples
"Good" and "bad" are...
their goal was simply to help her be as independent as possible so that she could fulfill her potential, however that looked for her. But the culture at large does not take this open attitude about disabilities. We call congenital differences "birth defects," as though human beings were objects on a factory line.
Video examples
Your body language may...
She shows that people who are born with sight and people who are congenitally blind do this when they win at a physical competition. So when they cross the finish line and they've won, it doesn't matter if they've never seen anyone do it. They do this. So the arms up in the V, the chin is slightly lifted.
Video examples
Alice Dreger: Is anatomy...
who was born a boy, raised a boy, had a girlfriend, had sex with his girlfriend, had a life as a guy, and had just found out that he had ovaries and a uterus inside. What he had was an extreme form of a condition called congenital adrenal hyperplasia. He had XX chromosomes,
Video examples
Your body language...
people who are congenitally blind do this when they win at a physical competition so when they cross the finish line and they've won it doesn't matter if they've never seen anyone do it they do this so the arms up in the V the chin is slightly lifted what do we
Video examples
Todd Kuiken: A...
Arm amputation is usually caused by trauma, with things like industrial accidents, motor vehicle collisions or, very poignantly, war. There are also some children who are born without arms, called congenital limb deficiency. Unfortunately, we don't do great
Video examples
A brief history of dogs...
with many new ones bred purely for appearance. Sadly, while all dog breeds are the product of artificial selection, some are healthier than others. Many of these aesthetic characteristics come with congenital health problems,
Video examples
Pawan Sinha on how...
The whites that you see in the middle of his pupils are congenital cataracts, so opacities of the lens. In our eyes, the lens is clear, but in this child, the lens has become opaque, and therefore he can't see the world.
Video examples
Can we cure genetic...
Base editors have also been used in animals to reverse the consequence of tyrosinemia, beta thalassemia, muscular dystrophy, phenylketonuria, a congenital deafness and a type of cardiovascular disease --
Video examples
You're Wrong PIPE National...
it's also true I think it's false you go false as it congenital liar yes I think it's fun as you don't want to die no stress in my life at all and you lie through life constantly and he's hoping
Video examples
Lifelike simulations...
and it goes back into the body. We save her life, and get her safely to the operating room. Here's the these disorders -- what is known is congenital diaphragmatic hernia --
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
Nadiya Hussain
British Chef
As a child my life felt like an adventure, because my dad is such a fun guy. I had a brother and sister who were in and out of hospital a lot – one had a congenital heart problem and the other had a cleft palate. But my parents never stopped smiling.
Quote examples
Nick Cassavetes
American Actor
My daughter, when she was a week old, was diagnosed with congenital heart disease. For the past thirteen years, she's had four major heart surgeries. She's a candidate for - and must have - heart replacement surgery in order to have a long life.
Quote examples
H. L. Mencken
American Writer
Most people are unable to write because they are unable to think, and they are unable to think because they congenitally lack the equipment to do so, just as they congenitally lack the equipment to fly over the moon.
Quote examples
Greg Olsen
American Football Player
In 2012, I had a son born with very severe congenital heart defect that was life-threatening and required him to go through a series of open-heart surgeries, as young as two days old, and subsequent other procedures.
Quote examples
Charles Baudelaire
French Poet
France is not poetic; she even feels, in fact, a congenital horror of poetry. Among the writers who use verse, those whom she will always prefer are the most prosaic.
Quote examples
Ernest Hemingway
American Novelist
A writer of fiction is really... a congenital liar who invents from his own knowledge or that of other men.
Quote examples
Molly Ivins
American Journalist
And the funny thing is, I've always been an optimist - it's practically a congenital disorder with me.
Quote examples
Kellyanne Conway
American Businesswoman
Women are still congenitally Democratic - and I'm the Republican pollster saying that.
Quote examples
Susan Collins
American Politician
I am a congenital optimist.
Quote examples
Jean Kerr
American Playwright
I'm congenitally vague.
Quote examples
Nadiya Hussain
British Chef
As a child my life felt like an adventure, because my dad is such a fun guy. I had a brother and sister who were in and out of hospital a lot – one had a congenital heart problem and the other had a cleft palate. But my parents never stopped smiling.
Quote examples
Nick Cassavetes
American Actor
My daughter, when she was a week old, was diagnosed with congenital heart disease. For the past thirteen years, she's had four major heart surgeries. She's a candidate for - and must have - heart replacement surgery in order to have a long life.
Quote examples
H. L. Mencken
American Writer
Most people are unable to write because they are unable to think, and they are unable to think because they congenitally lack the equipment to do so, just as they congenitally lack the equipment to fly over the moon.
Quote examples
Greg Olsen
American Football Player
In 2012, I had a son born with very severe congenital heart defect that was life-threatening and required him to go through a series of open-heart surgeries, as young as two days old, and subsequent other procedures.
Quote examples
Charles Baudelaire
French Poet
France is not poetic; she even feels, in fact, a congenital horror of poetry. Among the writers who use verse, those whom she will always prefer are the most prosaic.
Quote examples
Ernest Hemingway
American Novelist
A writer of fiction is really... a congenital liar who invents from his own knowledge or that of other men.
Quote examples
Molly Ivins
American Journalist
And the funny thing is, I've always been an optimist - it's practically a congenital disorder with me.
Quote examples
Kellyanne Conway
American Businesswoman
Women are still congenitally Democratic - and I'm the Republican pollster saying that.
Quote examples
Susan Collins
American Politician
I am a congenital optimist.
Quote examples
Jean Kerr
American Playwright
I'm congenitally vague.
Example 1 of 10
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