atony

[at-n-ee]

noun

Pathology. lack of tone or energy; muscular weakness, especially in a contractile organ.
Phonetics. lack of stress accent.

Also a·to·ni·a

[uh-toh-nee-uh, ey-toh-] /əˈtoʊ ni ə, eɪˈtoʊ-/.

Origin of atony

1685–95; < Late Latin atonia < Greek, derivative of átonos unaccented, languid, literally, toneless. See a-⁶, tone

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for atony

Historical Examples of atony

As for myself, I have not got rid of my atony—for such is my illness.
Travels in the Central Parts of Indo-China (Siam), Cambodia, and Laos (Vol. 2 of 2)
Henri Mouhot
The last writer especially distinguishes clearly between dilatation due to stenosis and that due to atony.
A System of Practical Medicine By American Authors, Vol. II
Various
Atony of the muscular walls of the stomach may be a part of general muscular weakness and impaired nutrition.
A System of Practical Medicine By American Authors, Vol. II
Various
The muscle of the bowel is in a state of fatty degeneration, and atony and dilatation of the gut follow.
A System of Practical Medicine By American Authors, Vol. II
Various
His nerve-principle was supposed to produce spasms and atony, either actively or passively.
An Epitome of the History of Medicine
Roswell Park

British Dictionary definitions for atony

atony

noun

pathol lack of normal tone or tension, as in muscles; abnormal relaxation of a muscle
phonetics lack of stress or accent on a syllable or word

Word Origin for atony

C17: from Latin atonia, from Greek: tonelessness, from atonos slack, from a- 1 + tonos tone

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

atony in Medicine

atony

[ăt′ə-nē, ăt′n-ē]

Lack of normal tone or tension; flaccidity.