palsy
1 Americannoun
plural
palsies-
any of a variety of atonal muscular conditions characterized by tremors of the body parts, as the hands, arms, or legs, or of the entire body.
verb (used with object)
adjective
noun
verb
Other Word Forms
- palsied adjective
- palsylike adjective
Etymology
Origin of palsy1
1250–1300; Middle English, variant of parlesie < Middle French paralisie < Latin paralysis paralysis
Origin of palsy2
Explanation
If you're paralyzed, you can describe your condition as palsy. Your grandfather's palsy might confine him to a wheelchair. The noun palsy can be used to talk about an inability to move, or alternately, an uncontrollable shaking that's caused by some condition or disease. Some kinds of palsy affect one side of a person's face, leaving half of it paralyzed. The Greek origin of palsy is paralysis, which literally means "loosen," from the word paralyein, and its roots para, "beside," and lyein, "loosen or untie."
Vocabulary lists containing palsy
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
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The Great Gilly Hopkins
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Small Steps
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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.
My brother, who has cerebral palsy and is developmentally disabled, is two years older than I am.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 10, 2026
The girl has severe cerebral palsy, is unable to walk or talk, has severe visual impairment and epilepsy, and requires continuous 24-hour care.
From BBC • Feb. 18, 2026
Jackson was hospitalized in November with progressive supranuclear palsy, a rare and severe neurodegenerative condition.
From Salon • Feb. 17, 2026
Jackson, who had battled the neurodegenerative condition progressive supranuclear palsy for more than a decade, died at home surrounded by family.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 17, 2026
The medical personnel were trained to handle drug overdoses and minor injuries, and knew very little about cerebral palsy.
From "Small Steps" by Louis Sachar
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.
