nystagmus

American

[ni-stag-muhs] / nɪˈstæg məs /

noun

a congenital or acquired persistent, rapid, involuntary, and oscillatory movement of the eyeball, usually from side to side.

nystagmus British

/ nɪˈstæɡməs /

noun

involuntary movement of the eye comprising a smooth drift followed by a flick back, occurring in several situations, for example after the body has been rotated or in disorders of the cerebellum

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

nystagmic

adjective

Etymology

Origin of nystagmus

1815–25; < New Latin < Greek nystagmós nodding, derivative of nystázein to nod

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Jake was born with a condition called Norie Syndrome and also has Nystagmus - which makes his eyes move involuntarily.

From BBC • Apr. 10, 2022

According to John Sanders, from support group Nystagmus Network UK, few adults with nystagmus can drive and most encounter some difficulties in every day life, education and employment.

From BBC • Jan. 11, 2014

Nystagmus also causes spells of constant vomiting and dizziness.

From Time Magazine Archive

Nystagmus, nis-tag′mus, n. a spasmodic, lateral, oscillatory movement of the eyes, found in miners, &c.

From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 3 of 4: N-R) by Various

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023