hydrocephalus

noun

hy·​dro·​ceph·​a·​lus ˌhī-drō-ˈse-fə-ləs How to pronounce hydrocephalus (audio)
variants or less commonly hydrocephaly
: an abnormal increase in the amount of cerebrospinal fluid within the cranial cavity (as from obstructed flow, excess production, or defective absorption) that is accompanied by expansion of the cerebral ventricles and often increased intracranial pressure, skull enlargement, and cognitive decline

Examples of hydrocephalus in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The fluid accumulates due to a medical condition of infancy called benign external hydrocephalus. Dhanika Pineda, ABC News, 25 June 2024 Derrick had experienced multiple seizures as an infant, and had subsequently been diagnosed with cerebral palsy and hydrocephalus. Lindsay Lee Wallace, TIME, 17 June 2024 From a 6 year lifespan to a thriving teenager Luis Heberto lives with spinal bifida, which paralyzes him from the waist down; cerebral palsy, which limits him from the waist up; and hydrocephalus, a neurological disorder that causes the accumulation of fluid within deep cavities of the brain. Nadia Cantú, The Arizona Republic, 12 May 2024 In situations where the tumor is interfering with the cerebral spinal fluid (CSF), people may have more pressure in their heads, known as hydrocephalus. Julia Landwehr, Health, 12 Jan. 2024 See all Example Sentences for hydrocephalus 

Word History

Etymology

New Latin hydrocephalus, from Late Latin, hydrocephalic, adjective, from Greek hydrokephalos, from hydr- + kephalē head — more at cephalic

First Known Use

1670, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hydrocephalus was in 1670

Dictionary Entries Near hydrocephalus

Cite this Entry

“Hydrocephalus.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hydrocephalus. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

hydrocephalus

noun
hy·​dro·​ceph·​a·​lus ˌhī-drō-ˈsef-ə-ləs How to pronounce hydrocephalus (audio)
variants also hydrocephaly
: an abnormal condition in which an increased amount of cerebrospinal fluid causes an increase in the size of the ventricles of the brain and the size of the skull and the wasting away of the brain

Medical Definition

hydrocephalus

noun
hy·​dro·​ceph·​a·​lus -ˈsef-ə-ləs, British also -ˈkef- How to pronounce hydrocephalus (audio)
plural hydrocephali -ˌlī How to pronounce hydrocephalus (audio)
: an abnormal increase in the amount of cerebrospinal fluid within the cranial cavity (as from obstructed flow, excess production, or defective absorption) that is accompanied by expansion of the cerebral ventricles and often increased intracranial pressure, skull enlargement, and cognitive decline

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