leprechaunism

noun

lep·​re·​chaun·​ism ˈlep-rə-ˌkän-ˌiz-əm, -ˌkȯn- How to pronounce leprechaunism (audio)
: a rare hereditary disorder of extreme insulin resistance that is characterized especially by intrauterine and postnatal growth retardation, skin abnormalities, hirsutism, emaciation, widely spaced eyes, thick lips, low-set ears, and enlarged genitalia and is usually fatal during early infancy : donohue syndrome

Note: This disorder is inherited as an autosomal recessive trait requiring that both parents pass on a copy of the defective gene on a chromosome other than a sex chromosome.

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Cite this Entry

“Leprechaunism.” Merriam-Webster.com Medical Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/medical/leprechaunism. Accessed 25 Mar. 2023.

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