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achalasia

American

[ak-uh-ley-zhuh, -zhee-uh, -zee-uh] / ˌæk əˈleɪ ʒə, -ʒi ə, -zi ə /

noun

Medicine/Medical.

inability of a circular muscle, especially of the esophagus or rectum, to relax, resulting in widening of the structure above the muscular constriction.

achalasia British

/ ˌækəˈleɪzɪə /

noun

pathol failure of the cardiac sphincter of the oesophagus to relax, resulting in difficulty in swallowing

"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

Etymology

Origin of achalasia

1910–15; a- ⁶ + Greek chálas ( is ) ( chala- (stem of chalân to loosen) + -sis -sis ) + -ia

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