Definitions
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
- n. The biological study of birth defects.
Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
- n. Narration of what is marvelous or prodigious; exaggeration in description.
- n. In anat., zoöl., and botany, the science of animal or vegetable monstrosities; that department of biology which treats of malformations, or monstrous or abnormal growths, in the animal or the vegetable kingdom.
Wiktionary
- n. The study of teratogenesis, congenital malformations or grossly deformed individuals.
- n. The study of the mechanisms, teratogenic agents, or teratogens, in bringing about malformations.
GNU Webster's 1913
- n. That branch of biological science which treats of monstrosities, malformations, or deviations from the normal type of structure, either in plants or animals.
- n. Affectation of sublimity; bombast.
WordNet 3.0
- n. the branch of biology concerned with the development of malformations or serious deviations from the normal type of organism
Examples
“What the word teratogenic means (teratology is the study of abnormalities in physical development).”
“MOOS: He finally coughed out the word teratology (ph) correctly, a spelling bee sure can sting.”
“In addition, the trainee will see patients who have questions regarding prenatal diagnosis and teratology.”
“I decide to put the question to Ken Jones, the doctor who defined fetal alcohol syndrome more than thirty-five years ago, and who is now chief of the teratology division in the department of pediatrics at the University of California, San Diego.”
“Today, as Blumberg describes, teratology as a science has come to mean the study of congenital malformations.”
“She claims to be a student of teratology, which she explains as the science of monsters.”
“Now, in his recently published book Freaks of Nature: What Anomalies Tell Us about Development and Evolution, Mark S. Blumberg takes us on a tour of real-life teratology, and how understanding abnormalities is casting new light on the relationship between the genetic and non-genetic forces that shape us all.”
“Chief FDA Scientist, Dr. Thomas Xavier Collins, investigated two mice teratology (birth defects) studies.”
FDA HID RESEARCH THAT DAMNED ASPARTAME: Fatal studies should have blocked NutraSweet approval
“Lahzars and calendars are very much working against such norms, and teratology (monster-hunting) is probably one of the few areas where a woman can achieve as much notoriety as a man (if she was not born with status already).”
The WritingYA Weblog: Winter Blog Blast Tour, Day Two: D.M. Cornish
“Skeleton skulls society soundtrack spectacle spitzner stereo views suicide syphilis tattoo taxidermy tea television teratology the body theater theme bar theory tour toys transi travel uncanny vanitas votive waxworks. museum websites wellcome wish list woman wunderkammer”
Lists
These user-created lists contain the word ‘teratology’.
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Logolepsy
"Luciferous Logolepsy is a collection of over 9,000 obscure English words. Though the definition of an 'English' word might seem to be straightforward, it is not. There exist so many adopted, deriv...
Anschauung, Areopagus, Argus, Briarean, Dei gratia, Dei judicium, Deo volente, Duecento, Foehn, Geflugelte Worte, Gegenschein, Hakenkreuz and 9230 more...
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words for skymandr
Found a word that you think might suit me?
kettle logic, just deserts, mother tincture, miasma, electrohomeopathy, teratology, daytime parahypna..., microbarom, hypergelast, skeuomorph, contraparallelogram, zenzizenzizenzic and 17 more...
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career advisor
interesting -ologies, vocations, etc.
Please cite your chosen career if it doesn't have a weirdnet entry.vexillology, eschatology, pomology, phrenology, astacology, balneology, dactology, mycology, selenology, rhinology, hippology, somnology and 43 more...

rolig So a series of four novels featuring monster-like characters with congenital abnormalities would be a teratology tetralogy? Dec 11, 2008
reesetee Yes! Thanks, whichbe. I've linked to it a couple of times here on Wordie, but I can't remember where at the moment. May 13, 2008
whichbe There's a wonderful museum in Philadelphia called the Mütter Museum that specializes in this subject. May 12, 2008