palsy

¹

[ pawl-zee ]

noun

, plural pal·sies.

1. 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.
2. paralysis ( def 1b ).

verb (used with object)

, pal·sied, pal·sy·ing.

1. to paralyze.

palsy

²

[ pal-zee ]

adjective

, Slang.

1. palsy-walsy.

palsy

/ ˈpɔːlzɪ /

noun

1. paralysis, esp of a specified type

   cerebral palsy

verb

1. to paralyse

Derived Forms

• ˈpalsied, adjective

Other Words From

• palsy·like adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of palsy¹

1250–1300; Middle English, variant of parlesie < Middle French paralisie < Latin paralysis paralysis

Origin of palsy²

First recorded in 1925–30; pal + -sy

Word History and Origins

Origin of palsy¹

C13 palesi, from Old French paralisie, from Latin paralysis

Example Sentences

Though the two women look different, they have both suffered from Bell’s palsy, a condition affecting about 100,000 people in the UK.

From BBC

I play the mom of a whip smart, beautiful young teenager with cerebral palsy.

From Salon

But that need has a particular urgency: Melody, the central character in “Out of My Mind,” has cerebral palsy and is unable to speak.

From New York Times

In the United States, there are currently more adults living with cerebral palsy than children.

From Science Daily

Bell's palsy is a type of paralysis that temporarily affects the ability to control the facial muscles.

From BBC

Related Words

• comfortable
• easy
• intimate