a private language, as invented by a child or between two children, esp twins
2.
a pathological condition in which a person's speech is so severely distorted that it is unintelligible
Word origin
C19: from Greek idios private, separate + glossa tongue
idioglossia in American English
(ˌidiəˈɡlɑsiə, -ˈɡlɔsiə)
noun
1.
a private form of speech invented by one child or by children who are in close contact, as twins
2.
a pathological condition characterized by speech so distorted as to be unintelligible
Derived forms
idioglottic (ˌidiəˈɡlɑtɪk)
adjective
Word origin
[1890–95; ‹ Gk idióglōss(os) of distinct or peculiar tongue (idio-idio- + -glōssos, adj. deriv. of glôssa tongue) + -ia-ia]This word is first recorded in the period 1890–95. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: bootstrap, neoclassicism, pogey, takedown, wireless-ia is a noun suffix having restricted application in various fields, as in names ofdiseases (malaria; anemia), place names (Italia; Romania), names of Roman feasts (Lupercalia), Latin or Latinizing plurals (Amphibia; insignia; Reptilia), and in other loanwords from Latin (militia)