cerebral palsy

American  

noun

Pathology.

1. a form of paralysis believed to be caused by a prenatal brain defect or by brain injury during birth, most marked in certain motor areas and characterized by difficulty in control of the voluntary muscles.

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cerebral palsy British  

noun

1. a nonprogressive impairment of muscular function and weakness of the limbs, caused by lack of oxygen to the brain immediately after birth, brain injury during birth, or viral infection

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cerebral palsy Scientific  

1. A motor disorder often caused by brain injury occurring at or before birth, characterized by muscular impairment and symptoms such as poor coordination, spasm, abnormal stiffness, speech difficulties, and sometimes paralysis. Some children with cerebral palsy have accompanying neurologic conditions such as epilepsy, learning disorders, and mental retardation.

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cerebral palsy Cultural  

1. A disorder marked by lack of muscle coordination and sometimes accompanied by speech defects. It is caused by brain damage present at birth or experienced during birth or infancy.

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Other Word Forms

• cerebral palsied
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of cerebral palsy

First recorded in 1920–25

Example Sentences

My brother, who has cerebral palsy and is developmentally disabled, is two years older than I am.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 10, 2026

Born with cerebral palsy affecting her right side, Greco competed for Australia at world championships and world cups.

From BBC • Dec. 31, 2025

Her son, who is now almost 40, was one of the first children with cerebral palsy to attend the school.

From BBC • Nov. 27, 2025

Mr. Davenport, who makes films “about disability” according to his website, also makes them from the perspective of the disabled—he has cerebral palsy and often uses a wheelchair.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 30, 2025

“It takes time to accept the limitations of a beloved child. She has cerebral palsy, Mrs. Brooks.”

From "Out of My Mind" by Sharon M. Draper