atelo-, atel-, ateli-

(Greek: imperfect, incomplete)

atelectasis (s); atelectases (pl)
1. An incomplete expansion of the lungs at birth, because of a lack of breathing force.
2. A total or partial collapse of the lungs, because of bronchial obstruction.
3. The absence of gas from all or a part of the lungs, due to a failure of expansion or resorption of gas from the alveoli.
4. A collapsed or airless state of the lung, which may be acute or chronic, and may involve all or part of the lung.

The primary cause of atelectasis is obstruction of the bronchus serving the affected area. In fetal atelectasis the lungs fail to expand normally at birth.

atelectatic
1. Pertaining to or characterized by atelectasis (a partial or total collapse of a lung).
2. Relating to or in a state of atelectasis (a condition in which the lungs fail to expand completely at birth).
atelencephalia, ateloencephalia
Congenital anomaly with imperfect development of the brain.
atelesis (s) (noun), ateleses (pl)
Absence of integration or successful completion of an objective or a purpose: Dr. Swift, the psychiatrist, diagnosed Tina as having atelesis or a disintegration and a dissociation of different psychic functions because of her schizophrenic disjunction (separation of something normally joined together) between her inner and outer worlds.

Atelesis has been used by psychiatrists to refer to three major disjunctions that are well known in schizophrenic psychopathology:

  • Disjunction of a person's inner world and environment (autism or phantasies, delusions, hallucinations, etc.).
  • Disjunction of one's ego and the contents of consciousness (splitting or incomplete ego development).
  • Disjunction of someone's experience contents and the elementary forms of mental perception (destruction of conscious and willful focusing on one object or one component at a time).
—A compilation based on information located in
Psychiatric Dictionary, Seventh Edition,
by Robert Jean Campbell, M.D.;
Oxford University Press; New York; 1996; page 96.
atelia
1. Incomplete embryonic development of the body or any of its parts.
2. Imperfect or incomplete development.
atelia (s) (noun), atelias (pl)
An imperfect or incomplete development of the body or any of its parts: At the time of the child’s birth, the doctors advised Mr. and Mrs. Johnson that their daughter was born with atelia and that she would grow up with an incomplete development of her body, as in a condition of infantilism in which an older child or adult keeps infantile or childish characteristics.
atelic
Imperfectly developed; incomplete.
ateliosis, ateleiosis (s) (noun); atelioses, ateleioses (pl)
1. A form of infantilism (immaturity) that is a result of pituitary insufficiency, in which there is arrested growth (lack of physical development) but no deformities: Because of Joan's ateliosis, she had a very small body and her voice and face resembled those of a child even though she was over 50 years old.
2. Incomplete development which may refer to psychic infantilism or puerilism, and/or to physical dwarfism (microsomia): The unusual acting troupe consisted of people with atelioses; that is, they were dwarfish in stature but they were wonderful actors.

Dwarfism resulting from anterior pituitary insufficiency in childhood, associated with normal gonadal maturation, normal development of secondary sexual characteristics, and normal thyroidal and adrenocortical function. Reproductive ability is often unimpaired.

ateliotic, ateleiotic
A reference to or characterized by atelia or ateliosis; incomplete development of the body or any of its parts, as in infantilism and dwarfism.
atelocardia
The congenitally incomplete development of the heart.
atelocephalous
Having an incomplete head.
atelocephalus
An embryo, fetus, or newborn infant with atelocephalia; that is, with an incomplete head.
atelocephaly
A congenitally incomplete development of the skull.
atelocheilia, atelochilia
1. A congenitally incomplete development of a lip or the lips.
2. A faulty development of the lips.
atelocheiria, atelochiria
1. The imperfect development of a hand or hands.
2. A faulty development of the hand.