congenital
In medical contexts, this word describes a condition that someone is born with, regardless of whether it was caused by genetics or something during pregnancy. When used to describe a person's personality (like 'a congenital liar'), it is often used as a critique. It suggests that the trait is so deep-rooted that the person cannot change it.
💬Casual Conversation
🎬Tuesday afternoon, David is texting Brian from a boardroom meeting.
David Smith
My new laptop keeps freezing. I think it's a congenital flaw in the hardware.
Brian
It is not 'congenital', Dave. You just didn't boot it up properly.
💡
David attempts to use a sophisticated word ('congenital') to describe a manufacturing defect in his laptop, trying to sound technical. Brian, the grumpy IT expert, immediately shuts him down and uses the phrasal verb 'boot up' (to start a computer), highlighting their dynamic of pretension versus practical expertise.
Meanings
adjective
Inborn or natural; existing as an inherent characteristic of a person's nature.
"He is a congenital liar who cannot tell the truth even when it benefits him."