atony

American  

[at-n-ee] / ˈæt n i /

Also atonia

noun

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

2. Phonetics. lack of stress accent.

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atony British  

/ ˈætənɪ /

noun

1. pathol lack of normal tone or tension, as in muscles; abnormal relaxation of a muscle

2. phonetics lack of stress or accent on a syllable or word

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Etymology

Origin of atony

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

Example Sentences

Secretary of State Atony Blinken also condemned the attack.

From Washington Times • Oct. 7, 2023

Current Secretary of State Atony Blinken echoed the assertion in 2022, saying the genocide was “ongoing.”

From Washington Times • Apr. 20, 2023

Atony of the bladder is a paresis or partial paralysis.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 4, Slice 1 "Bisharin" to "Bohea" by Various

Atony of the muscularis of the intestine is admittedly the direct cause, in most instances, of constipation.

From The Electric Bath by Schweig, George M.

"Atony, paralysis, fatty degeneration of the gut, are bad enough," say these objectors, "without having an enema increase their uselessness."

From Intestinal Ills Chronic Constipation, Indigestion, Autogenetic Poisons, Diarrhea, Piles, Etc. Also Auto-Infection, Auto-Intoxication, Anemia, Emaciation, Etc. Due to Proctitis and Colitis by Jamison, Alcinous B. (Alcinous Burton)