dysphonia

American  

[dis-foh-nee-uh] / dɪsˈfoʊ ni ə /

noun

1. any disturbance of normal vocal function.

---

dysphonia British  

/ dɪsˈfəʊnɪə /

noun

1. any impairment in the ability to speak normally, as from spasm or strain of the vocal cords

---

Other Word Forms

• dysphonic
  adjective

---

Etymology

Origin of dysphonia

1700–10; < New Latin < Greek dysphōnía roughness of sound, equivalent to dys- dys- + phōn ( ḗ ) sound, voice + -ia -ia

---

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

dysphonia

My symptoms matched all the descriptions for the rarer form of the disorder, called abductor spasmodic dysphonia.

From Slate ● Apr. 18, 2026

Laryngeal dystonia, known previously as spasmodic dysphonia, is a rare condition that affects over 50,000 people in the US and Canada.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 20, 2024

Consultations with doctors eventually brought a brutal diagnosis: spasmodic dysphonia, a neurological disorder in which the muscles in the larynx tighten or lapse into spasms, strangulating speech while making singing a significant challenge.

From New York Times ● Jun. 20, 2024

He said he saw spasmodic dysphonia on a long list of possible side effects.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 8, 2024

But his worst symptom was dysphonia; he would try to articulate one word, and find himself using another.

From File No. 113 by Émile Gaboriau

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

---