acardiac

English

Etymology

From Ancient Greek ἀκάρδιος (akárdios, “without a heart”) +‎ -ac, after cardiac; by surface analysis, a- +‎ cardi- +‎ -ac.

Adjective

acardiac (not comparable)

1. (medicine, anatomy) Lacking a heart.

   Synonym: heartless

   • 1831, Marshall Hall, A Critical and Experimental Essay on the Circulation of the Blood, page 76:

     The fact of a perfect circulation in acardiac fœtuses and acardiac animals, seems strongly to indicate an important influence in the arteries.

Derived terms

• acardiac twin
• acardiac twinning

Related terms

• acardia (noun)

 

Translations

lacking a heart

• Portuguese: acardíaco

See also

• anencephalic