dystrophy

Also dys·tro·phi·a

[dis-truh-fee]

noun

1. Medicine/Medical.,  faulty or inadequate nutrition or development.

2. Pathology.,  any of a number of disorders characterized by weakening, degeneration, or abnormal development of muscle.

3. Ecology.,  the state of being dystrophic.

dystrophy

/ dɪsˈtrɒfɪk, ˈdɪstrəfɪ, dɪˈstrəʊfɪə /

noun

1. any of various bodily disorders, characterized by wasting of tissues See also muscular dystrophy

2. 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

• dystrophic adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of dystrophy¹

From the New Latin word dystrophia, dating back to 1885–90. See dys-, -trophy

Word History and Origins

Origin of dystrophy¹

C19: New Latin dystrophia, from _dys- + Greek trophē food

Example Sentences

The company is developing experimental drugs based on the technology to treat forms of muscular dystrophy, a multibillion-dollar market.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The company’s gene therapy for treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy had a safety issue.

Read more on Barron's

Tiffany Watson, who used to swim to help her muscular dystrophy, urged councils to reconsider.

Read more on BBC

At the age of two, Toby Addison was diagnosed with early onset rod cone dystrophy and retinitis pigmentosa, which meant his eyesight would slowly deteriorate.

Read more on BBC

Jackson began this tour a year after revealing his struggles with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, a nerve condition related to muscular dystrophy and Parkinson’s disease that impacts his motor skills.

Read more on Los Angeles Times