Ectopic
/ekˈtɑːpɪk/adjective
Located in an unusual place or doing something at the wrong time.
The doctor diagnosed her with an ectopic pregnancy, where the baby develops outside the womb.
Often appears as...
- ectopic pregnancy
- ectopic heartbeat
Usage tips
Technical
Academic
Definition 1 of 2
Pro Tip 1/3Medical Context
Ectopic is often used in a medical context to describe an abnormal location, like a pregnancy.
He had an ectopic kidney, located in the pelvis instead of the abdomen.
Pro Tip 2/3Wrong Timing
'Ectopic' can refer to something happening when it shouldn't, often medically related.
The patient reported ectopic heartbeats, felt as skipped beats.
Pro Tip 3/3Uncommon Terms
In medical studies, 'ectopic' is common, but it might be rare in everyday conversation.
Ectopic tissue isn't something you'd typically discuss outside a hospital.
Compare with
aberrantabnormalanomalousatypicaldeviantdisplaceregularusual
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