The word "congenitally" is a mouthful, and its spelling can be tricky even for native English speakers. It is pronounced /kənˈdʒɛnɪtəli/, with stress on the second syllable. The word comes from the Latin word "congenitus," meaning "born with." The spelling can be remembered by breaking it down into its parts: "con-" (meaning "together"), "genit-" (meaning "born"), and "-ally" (meaning "in a specified manner"). With a little practice, the spelling and pronunciation of "congenitally" become second nature.
Congenitally is an adverb that pertains to a condition or characteristic that is present at birth, or from the moment of conception. It derives from the word congenital, which refers to a trait or condition that is inherited or present since birth.
When used in a medical context, congenitally describes a trait, disease, or disorder that is inherited or present from birth, as opposed to being acquired later in life. For example, a congenitally heart condition refers to a heart defect or disease that is present from birth.
In a broader sense, congenitally can be used to describe inherent or innate qualities or tendencies that are present from birth, and are not acquired over time. This could include certain behavioral traits or aptitudes that can be traced back to one's genetic makeup.
The term congenitally implies a sense of persistence and permanence, as the condition or characteristic is present from the beginning and is not subject to change or alteration. It is often used to emphasize the inherent nature of a trait, which is deeply ingrained and not shaped by external factors.
Overall, congenitally is used to describe qualities, conditions, or characteristics that are present at birth and have a lasting impact throughout an individual's life.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word congenitally is derived from the term congenital which comes from the Latin word congenitus. Congenitus is a combination of two Latin roots: con, meaning together, and genitus, which is the past participle of gignere meaning to bring forth or to be born. Therefore, congenitus literally translates to born together or born with. Over time, congenital came to be used to describe traits or conditions present at birth or acquired during fetal development, and congenitally is the adverb form of congenital.