Deformite

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. An abnormal shape or misformed condition of a body part, often one that was present from birth
2. A distortion or irregularity in the form of a person, animal or object, especially a bodily flaw
3. The state of being misshapen or twisted out of its natural form, as an archaic term for deformity

Etymology: The word means "out of shape" at its root. It comes from Latin "deformis," built from "de-" (away from, or the sense of undoing) and "forma" (shape, form), so a deformed thing was literally something that had lost its proper form. Latin turned "deformis" into "deformitas," and Old French carried that into "deformité," which English borrowed in the late Middle Ages. The spelling shows the route. The ending "-ite" is the French "-ité," which English adopted for many nouns of this kind. English later switched most of these to "-ity," and "deformity" became the standard form. "Deformite" survives now mainly as an archaic or deliberately old-fashioned spelling.