alexia

noun

alex·​ia ə-ˈlek-sē-ə 

: aphasia marked by loss of ability to read

Word History

Etymology

probably borrowed from German Alexie, from a- a- entry 2 + Greek léxis "speech, word, phrase" + German -ie -ia entry 1 — more at lexis

Note: German Alexie was used by the Austrian neurologist Moritz Benedikt (1835-1920) in "Ueber Aphasie, Agraphie und verwandte pathologische Zustände," Wiener medizinische Zeitschrift (6. Jahrgang, Nr. 48, November 26, 1865, pp. 1167-69), though it is not evident that Benedikt coined the word. It is clearly modeled on Aphasie aphasia and Agraphie agraphia, but Greek léxis, derived from légein "to speak," does not pertain to reading; Benedikt (if he coined the word) may have confused léxis with derivatives of Latin legere "to read," as lēctiō "act of reading" (cf. lection).

First Known Use

1875, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

alexia

noun

alex·​ia ə-ˈlek-sē-ə 

: aphasia characterized by loss of ability to read

alexic

-ˈlek-sik 

adjective