birth defect

noun

: a physical or biochemical defect that is present at birth and may be inherited or environmentally induced

Examples of birth defect in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

According to the Surgeon General, women should not drink alcoholic beverages during pregnancy because of the risk of birth defects. —Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 4 Jan. 2025

Murthy is calling for all alcoholic beverages to carry a warning label, similar to the one that currently calls out the risk of birth defects for pregnant women who drink. —Alice Park, TIME, 4 Jan. 2025

Warning labels are currently required on alcoholic beverages to state that women who are pregnant should not drink alcohol due to the risk of birth defects. —Sarah Lynch Baldwin, CBS News, 3 Jan. 2025

Advertisement Bottles of beer, wine and liquor already carry warning labels about the risk of birth defects when a pregnant woman consumes alcohol. —Amanda Seitz, Los Angeles Times, 3 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1864, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

birth defect

noun

: a serious defect (as in physical or mental function) that is present at birth and is inherited or caused by something that happens or exists in the environment

Medical Definition

birth defect

noun

: a physical or biochemical defect (as cleft palate, phenylketonuria, or Down syndrome) that is present at birth and may be inherited or environmentally induced