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paralysis

[ puh-ral-uh-sis ]
/ pəˈræl ə sɪs /

noun, plural pa·ral·y·ses [puh-ral-uh-seez] /pəˈræl əˌsiz/.

Pathology.
  1. a loss or impairment of voluntary movement in a body part, caused by injury or disease of the nerves, brain, or spinal cord.
  2. a disease characterized by this, especially palsy.
a state of helpless stoppage, inactivity, or inability to act: The strike caused a paralysis of all shipping.

Content related to paralysis

Why Do Brits And Americans Spell Words Differently?Brits and Americans may share a mother tongue, but when it comes to spelling a handful of common terms, we just can't seem to settle on a shared favorite—or is it favourite?—approach.
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Words related to paralysis

laziness, apathy, passivity, inactivity, torpor, torpidity, lethargy, sloth, idleness, listlessness, stillness, stupor, lassitude, languor, indolence, immobilization, dullness, unresponsiveness, drowsiness, immobility

Words nearby paralysis

paralympian, paralympic, paralympic games, paralympics, paralyse, paralysis, paralysis agitans, paralytic, paralytic abasia, paralytic dementia, paralytic ileus

Origin of paralysis

before 1150; < Latin < Greek parálysis, equivalent to paraly-, var stem of paralȳ́ein to loosen (i.e., disable) on one side (para- para-1 + lȳ́ein to loosen) + -sis -sis; replacing Middle English paralisi(e) < Old French < Latin, as above; replacing late Old English paralisin (accusative) < Latin, as above; cf. palsy1

OTHER WORDS FROM paralysis

non·pa·ral·y·sis, noun, plural non·pa·ral·y·ses.sem·i·pa·ral·y·sis, noun, plural sem·i·pa·ral·y·ses.

Definition for paralyses (2 of 2)

paralyze
[ par-uh-lahyz ]
/ ˈpær əˌlaɪz /

verb (used with object), par·a·lyzed, par·a·lyz·ing.

to affect with paralysis.
to bring to a condition of helpless stoppage, inactivity, or inability to act: The strike paralyzed communications.
Also especially British, par·a·lyse.

Origin of paralyze

1795–1805; back formation from paralysis, modeled on analyze

SYNONYMS FOR paralyze

2 See shock1.

OTHER WORDS FROM paralyze

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for paralyses

British Dictionary definitions for paralyses

paralysis
/ (pəˈrælɪsɪs) /

noun plural -ses (-ˌsiːz)

pathol
  1. impairment or loss of voluntary muscle function or of sensation (sensory paralysis) in a part or area of the body, usually caused by a lesion or disorder of the muscles or the nerves supplying them
  2. a disease characterized by such impairment or loss; palsy
cessation or impairment of activityparalysis of industry by strikes

Word Origin for paralysis

C16: via Latin from Greek paralusis; see para- 1, -lysis
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Medicine definitions for paralyses (1 of 2)

paralysis
[ pə-răl′ĭ-sĭs ]

n. pl. pa•ral•y•ses (-sēz′)

Loss of power of voluntary movement in a muscle through injury or through disease of its nerve supply.
Loss of sensation over a region of the body.

Medicine definitions for paralyses (2 of 2)

paralyze
[ păr′ə-līz′ ]

v.

To affect with paralysis; cause to be paralytic.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.

Science definitions for paralyses

paralysis
[ pə-răl′ĭ-sĭs ]

Loss or impairment of voluntary movement or sensation in a part of the body, usually as a result of neurologic injury or disease.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Culture definitions for paralyses

paralysis
[ (puh-ral-uh-sis) ]

The loss of voluntary movement in a body part. Paralysis results from damage to the nerves that supply the affected part of the body.

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.