What does "hypoplasia" mean?
Underdevelopment or incomplete development of a tissue or organ, especially when caused by an inadequate or below-normal number of cells.
Hypoplasia
noun
noun ·Rare ·Advanced level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Underdevelopment or incomplete development of a tissue or organ, especially when caused by an inadequate or below-normal number of cells.
- Grammar: hypoplasia is listed as noun.
- Useful contrasts: overgrowth.
- Usage evidence: 1995, William M. Thurlbeck, 2. Lung Growth and Development, William M. Thurlbeck, Andrew Churg (editors), 2nd edition, Thieme Medical Publishers, Pathology of the Lung, page 56, Since the renal system and the lung develop at the same time, there has been repeated speculation that pulmonary hypoplasia and renal anomalies may be linked by a common developmental defect.
How to use "hypoplasia"
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- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "hypoplasia" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
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- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "hypoplasia" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "hypoplasia" as the right word for your sentence.
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Compare nearby meanings
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Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "hypoplasia" is acting as noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
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3. Confirm with context
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Final meaning check
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When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 Underdevelopment or incomplete development of a tissue or organ, especially when caused by an inadequate or below-normal number of cells. countable, uncountable
"1995, William M. Thurlbeck, 2. Lung Growth and Development, William M. Thurlbeck, Andrew Churg (editors), 2nd edition, Thieme Medical Publishers, Pathology of the Lung, page 56, Since the renal system and the lung develop at the same time, there has been repeated speculation that pulmonary hypoplasia and renal anomalies may be linked by a common developmental defect."
- 2 underdevelopment of an organ because of a decrease in the number of cells wordnet
Antonyms
Example
"1995, William M. Thurlbeck, 2. Lung Growth and Development, William M. Thurlbeck, Andrew Churg (editors), 2nd edition, Thieme Medical Publishers, Pathology of the Lung, page 56, Since the renal system and the lung develop at the same time, there has been repeated speculation that pulmonary hypoplasia and renal anomalies may be linked by a common developmental defect."
Common questions
How do you use "hypoplasia" in a sentence?
1995, William M. Thurlbeck, 2. Lung Growth and Development, William M. Thurlbeck, Andrew Churg (editors), 2nd edition, Thieme Medical Publishers, Pathology of the Lung, page 56, Since the renal system and the lung develop at the same time, there has been repeated speculation that pulmonary hypoplasia and renal anomalies may be linked by a common developmental defect.
Etymology
From hypo- + -plasia.