adjective
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of, relating to, or of the nature of paralysis
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afflicted with or subject to paralysis
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informal very drunk
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of paralytic
1300–50; Middle English paralitik < Latin paralyticus < Greek paralytikós, equivalent to paraly- ( see paralysis) + -tikos -tic
Vocabulary lists containing paralytic
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.
Since 1903, 582 total cases — including 39 deaths — have been attributed to paralytic shellfish poisoning in California.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 9, 2025
No associated paralytic cases have been recorded so far.
From BBC ● Jul. 23, 2024
After an outbreak of paralytic shellfish poisoning that has sickened about 20 people, the Oregon Health Authority is urging people to discard mussels harvested from a stretch of the coast since Saturday.
From Seattle Times ● May 29, 2024
"We find paralytic shellfish toxins in our shellfish pretty much year-round at this point."
From Science Daily ● Mar. 21, 2024
His face lost all appearance of life and set itself into an expressionless mask, with the eyeballs fixed, paralytic, and staring.
From "The Hot Zone" by Richard Preston
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.
