noun
harelip
HAIR-lip
Harelip (noun) means a congenital split in the upper lip, present from birth. Example: “The baby was born with a harelip that surgeons later corrected.”
noun
1
medical A congenital split in the upper lip, present from birth.
"The baby was born with a harelip that surgeons later corrected."
"Old medical records sometimes describe the condition simply as a harelip."
"She read about the surgical repair of a harelip in a history of medicine."
How to use harelip
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA split in the upper lip someone is born with.
When to use it
Cleft lip is the term more commonly used in current medical writing.
Memory tip
Picture a hare's mouth, which has a natural split, to remember the origin of the word.
Trace the full origin ↓
Common pairings
born with a harelip
correct a harelip
surgical repair of a harelip
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The baby was born with a _____ that surgeons later corrected.
Etymology
Harelip is a straightforward compound of hare and lip, formed because the split resembles the divided upper lip of a hare.
Synonyms
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cleft lip
cheiloschisis
Frequently asked questions
What does harelip mean?
It refers to a congenital split in the upper lip that a baby is born with.
Why is it called a harelip?
It is named after the hare because the split lip was thought to resemble a hare's mouth.
Is harelip the same as cleft lip?
Yes, cleft lip is a synonym for the same condition.
What is the meaning of harelip?
"harelip" (noun) means a congenital split in the upper lip, present from birth.
