dysmorphia
dysmorphia Lexical Profile
dysmorphia Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A psychological condition characterized by a persistent, obsessive preoccupation with a perceived flaw or defect in one's physical appearance that is either nonexistent or barely noticeable to others; body dysmorphic disorder.
"Social media filters and heavily edited photographs can exacerbate feelings of body dysmorphia among impressionable teenagers."
An anatomical deformity or physical abnormality in the shape or structure of a body part (in pathology and genetics).
"The geneticist examined the infant for signs of craniofacial dysmorphia that might indicate a rare chromosomal syndrome."
Word Nuance & Usage
'Dysmorphia' should not be confused with 'dysphoria': dysmorphia involves a distorted cognitive perception of one's physical appearance (such as seeing a flaw that is nonexistent or minor), whereas dysphoria is a profound state of emotional distress or unease (as in gender dysphoria, where one's physical body is accurately perceived but does not align with one's gender identity).
• Rhymes for dysmorphia
Word Origin & Etymology
Coined in late 19th-century medical Latin from Ancient Greek 'dysmorphia' (misshapenness or ugliness), derived from 'dys-' (bad, abnormal) and 'morphe' (form, shape).