Hydrocephalus

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Hydrocephalus \Hy`dro*ceph"a*lus\, n. [NL., fr. Gr. ?
     hydrocephalus; "y`dwr water + ? head.] (Med.)
     An accumulation of liquid within the cavity of the cranium,
     especially within the ventricles of the brain; dropsy of the
     brain. It is due usually to tubercular meningitis. When it
     occurs in infancy, it often enlarges the head enormously.


     [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  hydrocephalus
       n : an abnormal condition in which cerebrospinal fluid collects
           in the ventricles of the brain; in infants it can cause
           abnormally rapid growth of the head and bulging
           fontanelles and a small face; in adults the symptoms are
           primarily neurological [syn: {hydrocephaly}]