What does teratology mean?
Teratology is the branch of medicine that studies congenital abnormalities, especially structural or functional defects present at birth. It examines how such abnormalities arise during embryonic and fetal development, their causes, and their effects on growth and development. In specialized medical usage, the term is usually uncountable, while teratologist and teratological are the more common forms for a specialist and for something related to the field. Historically, teratology also meant the study of monsters, marvels, and other extraordinary natural or supernatural beings; that older sense survives mainly in literary and metaphorical contexts. The word is therefore both a precise medical label and a reminder of the long history of attempts to explain unusual forms of life. Today its strongest association is with fetal development, birth defects, and the identification of substances and other factors that can cause malformations. Its specialized vocabulary makes it useful in medicine and biology, while its monster-lore past gives it unusual literary resonance.
nounThe branch of medicine concerned with congenital abnormalities, especially structural and functional defects arising during embryonic or fetal development. The term also has an older literary sense referring to the study of monsters, marvels, and other extraordinary beings.
- The medical study of congenital abnormalities, particularly abnormalities of embryonic and fetal development.
- The historical or literary study of monsters, marvels, and other extraordinary natural or supernatural beings.
"Her research in medical teratology focuses on developmental abnormalities that arise during fetal development."
"Advances in prenatal genetics have transformed the diagnosis of fetal abnormalities studied in medical teratology."
"Her book on teratology examines how earlier writers imagined monsters and explained the marvelous."
Rare; the discipline is normally referred to in the uncountable singular form teratology.
"Several medical teratologies have discussed the classification of prenatal abnormalities."
Literally built from Greek roots meaning “monster-study,” teratology began as a discipline for examining marvels before medicine narrowed its focus to congenital abnormalities.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does teratology come from?
The English word dates to the 17th century and was formed from Greek teratologia, a term associated with teras, meaning “monster” or “portent,” and -logia, meaning “study.” It initially referred to the study of monsters and marvels, a sense that later became literary and historical. Its principal medical meaning developed as the field came to focus on congenital abnormalities and abnormal embryonic or fetal development.
Related word forms
How teratology is actually used
In modern professional contexts, teratology is usually an uncountable field name; teratological is more common as an adjective, and teratologist denotes a specialist. The older monster-oriented sense is now mainly literary or historical.