1. Loss of the ability to read, typically caused by brain damage or neurological disorder.
Usage: medical term; also called word blindness

Examples

• The patient developed alexia after suffering a stroke in the left hemisphere.
• Alexia can occur without agraphia, meaning a person may lose the ability to read but retain the ability to write.
• The neurologist diagnosed alexia by testing the patient's ability to recognize written words.
• Children with developmental alexia may struggle with reading despite normal intelligence.
• Recovery from alexia depends on the extent of brain damage and the patient's age.