adjective

congenital

/kənˈdʒɛnɪtəl/ · say it: kuhn·JEN·uh·tuhl

present from birth

In more detail

1. (adjective) present from birth; existing in a person from the time they are born

2. (adjective) (of a disease or condition) existing in someone since birth, whether inherited or caused by something that happened before birth

Examples

1. He has a congenital heart defect that requires surgery.
2. Congenital blindness can result from infections during pregnancy.

How to use congenital

Congenital is a medical and formal term describing conditions or characteristics present from birth, including both genetic and prenatal causes. It is more technical than inborn or innate, and appears frequently in medical contexts. Unlike inherited, congenital does not necessarily imply a genetic cause—the condition may result from maternal infection, trauma, or environmental factors during pregnancy.

Common phrases

congenital disease
congenital disorder
congenital heart defect
congenital abnormality
congenital disability
congenital condition

Synonyms

inborn · innate · native · inherent · hereditary

Opposites

acquired · developed

Word family

congenitally (adverb)

A common mistake

Learners often confuse congenital with genetic or hereditary, but congenital simply means present from birth and may not be inherited; a condition can be congenital without being passed down through families.

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