dysphonia

American  

[dis-foh-nee-uh] / dɪsˈfoʊ ni ə /

noun

1. any disturbance of normal vocal function.

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dysphonia British  

/ dɪsˈfɒnɪk, dɪsˈfəʊnɪə /

noun

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

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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

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 also has a noticeably strained, raspy voice caused by spasmodic dysphonia, a disorder that causes involuntary spasms in the muscles of the voice box.

From BBC • May 8, 2024

Kennedy speaks in a quiet, strained voice, sometimes haltingly, the result of a neurological condition called spasmodic dysphonia.

From Seattle Times • Mar. 17, 2024

Symptoms.—Dryness of mouth and throat, intense thirst, dysphagia and dysphonia, quick pulse, noisy delirium and stupor.

From Aids to Forensic Medicine and Toxicology by Robertson, W. G. Aitchison (William George Aitchison )