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

The reason people who are pregnant have been excluded from drug trials starts with thalidomide, a drug marketed as a sleep aid that led to birth defects in 8,000 to 10,000 children worldwide. —Tanya Lewis, Scientific American, 23 Oct. 2025

Over the years, people also started bringing wild ducks and geese that could not fly due to injury or birth defects. —Keith Matheny, Freep.com, 22 Oct. 2025

But because finasteride can cause birth defects, many doctors won’t prescribe it to women of childbearing age. —Marci Robin, Allure, 17 Oct. 2025

But to isolate gold, galamsey workers typically use poisonous mercury, which pollutes drinking water and farmland and has been linked to serious illness and birth defects. —Charlie Campbell, Time, 15 Oct. 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