Derencephalus

/ˌdɛrɛnˈsɛfələs/ noun

Definition

A rare birth defect condition characterized by brain tissue protruding from the cervical (neck) region of the body.

Etymology

From Greek dere (neck) + encephalus (relating to the brain). This is a medical term combining the anatomical location (neck) with the affected organ (brain) to name a congenital anomaly.

Kelly Says

Medieval and early modern doctors encountered these devastating birth defects without understanding genetics, so they invented naming systems using Greek parts to organize what they observed.

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