Parkinson's disease

noun

Par·​kin·​son's disease ˈpär-kən-sənz- How to pronounce Parkinson's disease (audio)
variants or less commonly Parkinson disease or Parkinson's or Parkinson's syndrome
: a chronic progressive neurological disease chiefly of later life that is linked to decreased dopamine production in the substantia nigra and is marked especially by tremor of resting muscles, rigidity, slowness of movement, impaired balance, and a shuffling gait

called also paralysis agitans

Examples of Parkinson's disease in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The finding could hold promise as a new way to fight Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases and overall cognitive decline. —Michael Franco, New Atlas, 15 Aug. 2024 Ryan Reynolds unfortunately understands Parkinson's disease more than most. —David Oliver, USA TODAY, 14 Aug. 2024 In 2017, Cook revealed he was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease four years prior. —Jack Irvin, Peoplemag, 14 Aug. 2024 The disorder shares symptoms with Parkinson's disease, which he had been mistakenly diagnosed with a few months before his death. —Shania Russell, EW.com, 11 Aug. 2024 See all Example Sentences for Parkinson's disease 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'Parkinson's disease.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

James Parkinson †1824 English physician

First Known Use

1877, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Parkinson's disease was in 1877

Dictionary Entries Near Parkinson's disease

parking ticket

Parkinson's disease

Parkinson's Law

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Cite this Entry

“Parkinson's disease.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Parkinson%27s%20disease. Accessed 12 Sep. 2024.

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Kids Definition

Parkinson's disease

noun
Par·​kin·​son's disease ˈpär-kən-sənz- How to pronounce Parkinson's disease (audio)
: a disease chiefly of later life that tends to get steadily worse and is marked especially by stiff and trembling muscles, slowness of movement, and a shuffling way of walking

Medical Definition

Parkinson's disease

noun
Par·​kin·​son's disease ˈpär-kən-sənz- How to pronounce Parkinson's disease (audio)
variants also Parkinson disease
-sən-
 or Parkinson's
: a chronic progressive neurological disease chiefly of later life that is linked to decreased dopamine production in the substantia nigra, is of unknown cause, and is marked especially by tremor of resting muscles, rigidity, slowness of movement, impaired balance, and a shuffling gait

called also paralysis agitans, parkinsonian syndrome, parkinsonism, Parkinson's syndrome

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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