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Tourette syndrome

British

/ tʊəˈrɛt /

noun

Also called: Gilles de la Tourette syndrome. Tourette's syndrome. Tourette's. a brain disorder characterized by involuntary outbursts of swearing, spitting, barking, etc, and sudden involuntary movements

"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

Etymology

Origin of Tourette syndrome

C20: named after Georges Gilles de la Tourette (1857–1904), French neurologist

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.

Armed police marched a 13-year-old boy with Tourette syndrome out of an airport after he shouted "bomb", leaving him and his family stranded.

From BBC • May 26, 2026

“The tics you have heard tonight are involuntary — that means the person who has Tourette syndrome has no control over their language and we apologize if it has caused offense,” Cumming explained.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 23, 2026

Kennedy mentioned diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, seizure disorders, ADHD, speech delay, language delay, tics, Tourette syndrome, narcolepsy, peanut allergies and eczema.

From Salon • Jul. 17, 2025

Howard was open early in his career that he had Tourette syndrome, a neurological disorder causing involuntary, repetitive movements.

From Seattle Times • May 2, 2024

She said the proper term for it is Tourette syndrome.

From "When I Was the Greatest" by Jason Reynolds

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023