orphan disease

noun

or·​phan disease ˈȯr-fən- How to pronounce orphan disease (audio)
: a disease which affects a relatively small number of individuals and for which no drug therapy has been developed because the small market would make the research and the drug unprofitable

Dictionary Entries Near orphan disease

Cite this Entry

“Orphan disease.” Merriam-Webster.com Medical Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/medical/orphan%20disease. Accessed 23 Apr. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!