palsy

/ˈpɔlzi/

/ˈpɔlzi/

Other forms: palsied; palsies; palsying

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."

Definitions of palsy

1. noun

   loss of the ability to move a body part
   synonyms: paralysis

   types:

   akinesia, akinesis

   motionlessness attributable to a temporary paralysis

   alalia

   paralysis of the vocal cords resulting in an inability to speak

   cystoparalysis, cystoplegia

   paralysis of the urinary bladder

   diplegia

   paralysis of corresponding parts on both sides of the body

   Erb's palsy, Erb-Duchenne paralysis

   paralysis of the arm resulting from injury to the brachial plexus (usually during childbirth)

   monoplegia

   paralysis of a single limb

   ophthalmoplegia

   paralysis of the motor nerves of the eye

   paresis

   a slight or partial paralysis

   paraplegia

   paralysis of the lower half of the body (most often as a result of trauma)

   hemiplegia, unilateral paralysis

   paralysis of one side of the body

   quadriplegia

   paralysis of both arms and both legs

   paraparesis

   a slight paralysis or weakness of both legs

   type of:

   disfunction, dysfunction

   (medicine) any disturbance in the functioning of an organ or body part or a disturbance in the functioning of a social group
2. noun

   a condition marked by uncontrollable tremor
   type of:

   symptom

   (medicine) any sensation or change in bodily function that is experienced by a patient and is associated with a particular disease
3. verb

   affect with palsy
   type of:

   paralyse, paralyze

   cause to be paralyzed and immobile