# acardia

CEFR C2 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/acardia
Updated: 2026-05-26

## Definition

a rare medical condition where a baby is born without a heart. This is a very serious and life-threatening situation.

For teachers: a congenital absence of the heart, typically occurring in the context of twin pregnancies where one fetus is a 'acardiac twin'. This condition is almost always fatal.

## Examples

- The medical team explained that acardia is extremely rare.
- In cases of acardia, the surviving twin may suffer from severe complications due to the lack of a functional circulatory system.
- While acardia is a rare and tragic condition, it provides significant insight into the complex vascular connections that can develop between identical twins in the womb.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.