atresia
UK[əˈtriːziə]US[əˈtriːʒə]
n
a congenital condition where a bodily passage or opening is abnormally closed or absent.
n
the degeneration and resorption of immature ovarian follicles.
Morpheme Breakdown
a
tresia
a
not, without
tresia
perforation, hole
Etymology
the term atresia is a modern medical neologism constructed directly from greek components to describe a specific anatomical absence. it combines the greek prefix a-, denoting negation or lack, with a derivative of the noun trēsis, meaning a boring or perforation. the literal construction "without a hole" logically evolved into the precise clinical meaning of an abnormal closure or absence of a natural passage in the body. this etymological path from a concrete greek description to a specialized abstract medical term exemplifies the systematic way biomedical vocabulary is formed.
Analysis
Structure: a (not, without) + tresia (perforation, hole)
a- (from greek, a negative or privative prefix meaning "not" or "without"). -tresia (from greek trēsis, meaning "a perforation" or "a hole").
Examples
the newborn was diagnosed with esophageal atresia, requiring immediate surgery.
follicular atresia is a normal process in the ovary that regulates the number of oocytes.
biliary atresia is a serious liver condition affecting infants.