kwashiorkor

[ kwah-shee-awr-kawr, -ker ]

noun

, Pathology.

1. a malnutrition disease, chiefly of children, caused by severe protein and vitamin deficiency and characterized by retarded growth, changes in pigmentation, potbelly, and anemia.

kwashiorkor

/ ˌkwæʃɪˈɔːkə /

noun

1. severe malnutrition of infants and young children, esp soon after weaning, resulting from dietary deficiency of protein

kwashiorkor

/ kwä′shē-ôr′kôr′ /

1. A severe malnutrition, seen primarily in children of tropical and subtropical regions, caused by deficiency in the quality and quantity of dietary protein. Kwahiorkor is characterized by failure to grow, anemia, liver damage, edema, discoloration of the skin or hair, and bulky stools containing undigested food.

Word History and Origins

Origin of kwashiorkor¹

1930–35; < Ga kwašiɔkɔ the influence a child is said to be under when his mother becomes pregnant with her next child; spelling with r 's is r-less speaker's representation of the vowels

Word History and Origins

Origin of kwashiorkor¹

C20: from a native word in Ghana