alalia
/əˈleɪliə/
Word Rarity
Very rare
Frequency: 0.00 in modern English
6
Scrabble Score
6
Letters
1
Syllables
3
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
The loss of the ability to speak, especially due to paralysis of the vocal cords.
Obsolete; Uncountable
noun
Speech delay, a delay in the development or use of the mechanisms that produce speech.
Uncountable
Example Sentences
- "A striking case of amnesic alalia was that of Lordat, a French physician, who thus described his malady: "I find myself deprived of the value of all words.[…]""
- "The other major exception, characters with Down syndrome (a condition that often includes among its symptoms alalia, or speech delay), are usually played by actors with Down syndrome[…]."
Etymology
From a- (“without”) + -lalia (“speech”).
Word Breakdown
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /əˈleɪliə/