muscular dystrophy

American  

noun

Pathology.

1. a hereditary disease characterized by gradual wasting of the muscles with replacement by scar tissue and fat, sometimes also affecting the heart.

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muscular dystrophy British  

noun

1. a genetic disease characterized by progressive deterioration and wasting of muscle fibres, causing difficulty in walking

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muscular dystrophy Scientific  

/ mŭs′kyə-lərdĭs′trə-fē /

1. Any of a group of inherited progressive muscle disorders caused by a defect in one or more genes that control muscle function and characterized by gradual irreversible wasting of skeletal muscle.

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muscular dystrophy Cultural  

1. A hereditary disease in which the muscles progressively waste away. The disease can be potentially treated through gene therapy.

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Etymology

Origin of muscular dystrophy

First recorded in 1865–70

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

muscular dystrophy

This week the agency is trying to sink promising new therapies for late-stage melanoma and Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026

The 36-year-old, who has Duchenne muscular dystrophy, says he was told "from the beginning" that he is medically fit to go home.

From BBC ● May 19, 2026

Sarcopenia is a form of muscular dystrophy associated with aging and is a popular condition for biotech companies that harbor greater goals of reversing or slowing aging to target.

From Slate ● Mar. 30, 2026

The biopharma company reported its first clinical results from two programs for different types of muscular dystrophy.

From Barron's ● Mar. 25, 2026

There were tiny babies with club feet, children who had paralyzed limbs from polio, adolescents dying from muscular dystrophy.

From "My Life with the Chimpanzees" by Jane Goodall