[ noun ] a congenital disorder caused by having an extra 21st chromosome; results in a flat face and short stature and mental retardation <noun.state>
Down syndrome \Down" syn`drome\, Down's syndrome \Down's" syn`drome\, n. (Med.) A congenital disorder caused by an extra chromosome 21 in some or all cells. It causes a variable number and degree of abnormalities, including retarded growth, mental retardation, a short nose, prominent epicanthic folds on the eyelids, a protruding lower lip, and other physical features having varying degrees of deviation from the normal. Called also {mongolism}, {trisomy-21} and {trisomy 21 syndrome}. [PJC]