aphasia

UK: /əˈfeɪziə/ US: /əˈfeɪʒə/ ,(ə fā′zhə)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

a•pha•sia /əˈfeɪʒə/   n. [uncountable]

1. Pathology the loss of the ability to speak or understand a language one knows, due to disease or injury of the brain.

a•pha•sic /əˈfeɪzɪk/  adj., n. [countable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

a•pha•sia  (ə fā′zhə), n. [Pathol.]

1. Pathology the loss of a previously held ability to speak or understand spoken or written language, due to disease or injury of the brain.

• Greek: speechlessness, equivalent. to a- a-⁶ + phat(ós) spoken (derivative of phánai to speak) + -ia -ia
• 1865–70

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

aphasia / əˈfeɪzɪə/ noun

1. a disorder of the central nervous system characterized by partial or total loss of the ability to communicate, esp in speech or writing
   Compare alexia

Etymology: 19th Century: via New Latin from Greek, from a-¹ + -phasia, from phanai to speak

aˈphasiˌac, aˈphasic adjective , noun