adjective. Of or relating to a condition that is present at birth, as a result of either heredity or environmental influences.

adjective. Being or having an essential characteristic as if by nature; inherent or inveterate.

Produced or existing at birth; innate; native: as, congenital disease; congenital deformity.

adjective. Existing at, or dating from, birth; pertaining to one from birth; born with one; connate; constitutional; natural. See connate and native.

adjective. Present since birth.

adjective. present at birth but not necessarily hereditary; acquired during fetal development

"The term congenital peculiarity, I may remark, is a loose expression and can only mean a peculiarity apparent when the part affected is nearly or fully developed: in the Second Part, I shall have to discuss at what period of the embryonic life connatal peculiarities probably first appear; and I shall then be able to show from some evidence, that at whatever period of life a new peculiarity first appears, it tends hereditarily to appear at a corresponding period {192}."

nonheritable  noninheritable  

con-  congenitally  genital  

genital  

abnormal  anatomic  chronic  constitutional  degenerative  

absolute  all-embracing  all-encompassing  all-out  all-pervading  

connate  native