dystrophy
Americannoun
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Medicine/Medical. faulty or inadequate nutrition or development.
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Pathology. any of a number of disorders characterized by weakening, degeneration, or abnormal development of muscle.
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Ecology. the state of being dystrophic.
noun
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any of various bodily disorders, characterized by wasting of tissues See also muscular dystrophy
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ecology a condition of lake water when it is too acidic and poor in oxygen to support life, resulting from excessive humus content
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of dystrophy
From the New Latin word dystrophia, dating back to 1885–90. See dys-, -trophy
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Separately, Novartis on Monday disclosed another Phase 3 failure of an experimental treatment for people with myotonic dystrophy type 1, which came from its $12 billion acquisition of Avidity Biosciences last year.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 8, 2026
A really wonderful guy, sort of a self-advocate and kind of a grump, total badass activist who has muscular dystrophy and has a tracheotomy.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026
The discovery could guide future research into muscular dystrophy treatments while also offering broader clues about cancer biology.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 2, 2026
Still, the main proof point for the Avidity acquisition will be a late-stage study for another drug, del-desiran, in myotonic dystrophy type 1, according to Jefferies.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 12, 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
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
