cretinism

[ kreet-n-iz-uh m or, esp. British, kret- ]
/ ˈkrit nˌɪz əm or, esp. British, ˈkrɛt- /

noun Pathology.

a congenital disease due to absence or deficiency of normal thyroid secretion, characterized by physical deformity, dwarfism, and mental retardation, and often by goiter.

Origin of cretinism

From the French word crétinisme, dating back to 1795–1805. See cretin, -ism

Example sentences from the Web for cretinism

British Dictionary definitions for cretinism

cretinism
/ (ˈkrɛtɪˌnɪzəm) /

noun

old-fashioned a condition arising from a deficiency of thyroid hormone, present from birth, characterized by dwarfism and mental retardation See also myxoedema

Medical definitions for cretinism

cretinism
[ krētn-ĭz′əm ]

n.

A congenital condition due to thyroid hormone deficiency during fetal development and marked in childhood by dwarfed stature, mental retardation, dystrophy of the bones, and a low basal metabolism. congenital myxedema cretinoid dysplasia