A part of the body that is not the normal or expected shape, often present from birth or caused by injury or illness.
From Latin 'deformis' (de- 'away from' + forma 'shape'), meaning 'shapeless' or 'disfigured.' It entered English in the 14th century, originally used to describe any distortion of natural form.
Medieval and Renaissance literature often treated physical deformities as signs of moral character—Richard III was portrayed with a hunchback in Shakespeare's play, showing how physical difference was weaponized to suggest evil intent.
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