Relating to, caused by, or characteristic of cretinism (a medical condition causing mental and physical developmental problems due to thyroid deficiency).
From cretin (person affected by cretinism, from French crétin) plus -ic suffix. The word crétin may derive from Swiss French meaning 'Christian,' reflecting the compassionate naming of affected individuals.
The term cretin comes from a time when people understood that thyroid iodine deficiency caused developmental problems, but didn't yet know that adding iodine to salt could almost completely eliminate the condition.
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