Marfan syndrome

noun

Mar·​fan syndrome ˈmär-ˌfan- 

variants or Marfan's syndrome

ˈmär-ˌfanz- 

: a disorder of connective tissue that is inherited as a dominant trait and is characterized by abnormal elongation of the long bones and often by ocular and circulatory defects

Examples of Marfan syndrome in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Connective tissue disorders such as Marfan syndrome and Loeys-Dietz syndrome make people vulnerable, while Turner syndrome and other genetic disorders affecting the aorta and aortic valve, place people at high risk of developing an enlarged aorta. — Elizabeth Cooney, STAT, 15 July 2026

In Grant's heart tissue, the lab found a variant in FBN1, the gene behind Marfan syndrome. — Dr. Céline Gounder, CBS News, 13 July 2026

People with Marfan syndrome, for instance, are at a higher risk for aortic dissections. — Veronique Greenwood, Time, 13 July 2026

He was diagnosed with a disease called Marfan syndrome, which generally involves mutations in a gene that helps build connective tissue in the body. — Roxanne Khamsi, The Atlantic, 7 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Antonin Bernard Jean Marfan †1942 French pediatrician

First Known Use

circa 1923, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for Marfan syndrome

• nucleosome
• trypanosome
• acrosome
• aerodrome
• catacomb
• centrosome
• chromosome
• cytochrome
• hippodrome
• honeycomb
• liposome
• meerschaum

Medical Definition

Marfan syndrome

noun

Mar·​fan syndrome ˈmär-ˌfan- 

variants or Marfan's syndrome

-ˌfanz- 

: a disorder of connective tissue that is inherited as a simple dominant trait, is caused by a defect in the gene controlling the production of fibrillin, and is characterized by abnormal elongation of the long bones and often by ocular and circulatory defects