Meanings
- obsoleteuncountablemedicineThe loss of the ability to speak, especially due to paralysis of the vocal cords.
A striking case of amnesic alalia was that of Lordat, a French physician, who thus described his malady: "I find myself deprived of the value of all words.[…]"
1886, Edward P. Davis, “Disorders of Speech”, in William Pepper, Louis Starr, editors, A System of Practical Medicine, Volume 5, Lea Brothers & Co., page 569 - uncountablemedicineSpeech delay, a delay in the development or use of the mechanisms that produce speech.
The other major exception, characters with Down syndrome (a condition that often includes among its symptoms alalia, or speech delay), are usually played by actors with Down syndrome[…].
2013, Jason Loviglio, Michele Hilmes, editors, Radio's New Wave, Taylor & Francis (Routledge), unnumbered page
Origin
From a- (“without”) + -lalia (“speech”).
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Greek αλαλία, αλαλία
- αλαλία (alalía)loss of the ability to speak
- αλαλία (alalía)delay in development of the mechanisms of speech
Icelandic málhelti
- málheltiloss of the ability to speak
Polish alalia, alalia
- alalialoss of the ability to speak
- alaliadelay in development of the mechanisms of speech
Portuguese alalia
- alalialoss of the ability to speak
Romanian alalie
- alalieloss of the ability to speak
Russian ала́лия, ала́лия
- ала́лия (alálija)loss of the ability to speak
- ала́лия (alálija)delay in development of the mechanisms of speech
Cite this entry
alalia. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/alalia
“alalia.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/alalia. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “alalia,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/alalia.
Source: alalia on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.