maldevelopmentn.
/ˌmaldᵻˈvɛləpm(ə)nt/, U.S. /ˌmældəˈvɛləpmənt/, /ˌmældiˈvɛləpmənt/ Abnormal or imperfect development.
ΚΠ
1899 T. C. Allbutt et al. Syst. Med. VII. 732 The altered shapes of cells, regarded by Sachs as evidence of congenital maldevelopment.
1961 Jrnl. Amer. Med. Assoc. 21 Oct. 282/1 The lesions arise from maldevelopment or malformation in fetal life in which some aberration occurs resulting in a potentiality for neoplastic growth in later life.
1992 UNESCO Courier Mar. 37/1 It brought women together to talk about the interconnection of hunger, disease, poverty, maldevelopment, misallocation of resources, illiteracy, war and peace.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2000; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1899