fetal alcohol syndrome

noun

: a highly variable group of birth defects including intellectual disability, deficient growth, and malformations of the skull and face that tend to occur in the offspring of women who consume large amounts of alcohol during pregnancy

Examples of fetal alcohol syndrome in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The death of the child, who family members say had been involved with the child welfare agency since he was born nearly two months premature with signs of fetal alcohol syndrome, has caused an outcry among child advocates and civil rights leaders demanding accountability. —Julia Prodis Sulek, Mercury News, 22 Apr. 2026

Crime victims with autism are victim-blamed less than those with fetal alcohol syndrome. —Rafil Kroll-Zaidi, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026

The grants supported initiatives aimed at reducing sudden infant deaths, improving teen and young adult health, preventing birth defects, such as fetal alcohol syndrome, and identifying autism early, according to an academy spokesperson. —Berkeley Lovelace Jr, NBC news, 17 Dec. 2025

Since fetal alcohol syndrome was not properly identified until 1973, and Princess Margaret was born in 1930, the condition would have gone untreated. —Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 2 Aug. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1973, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for fetal alcohol syndrome

• acrosome
• aerodrome
• catacomb
• centrosome
• chromosome
• cytochrome
• hippodrome
• honeycomb
• liposome
• meerschaum
• metronome
• microtome

Kids Definition

fetal alcohol syndrome

noun

: a variable group of birth defects including deficient mental and physical growth that tend to occur in the offspring of women who drink large amounts of alcohol during pregnancy

Medical Definition

fetal alcohol syndrome

noun

: a highly variable group of birth defects including intellectual disability, deficient growth, central nervous system dysfunction, and malformations of the skull and face that tend to occur in the offspring of women who consume large amounts of alcohol during pregnancy

—abbreviation FAS