atony

[ at-n-ee ]

noun

1. Pathology. lack of tone or energy; muscular weakness, especially in a contractile organ.
2. Phonetics. lack of stress accent.

atony

/ ˈætənɪ /

noun

1. pathol lack of normal tone or tension, as in muscles; abnormal relaxation of a muscle
2. phonetics lack of stress or accent on a syllable or word

Word History and Origins

Origin of atony¹

1685–95; < Late Latin atonia < Greek, derivative of átonos unaccented, languid, literally, toneless. See a- ⁶, tone

Word History and Origins

Origin of atony¹

C17: from Latin atonia, from Greek: tonelessness, from atonos slack, from a- ¹+ tonos tone

Example Sentences

Scepticism, which makes us, instead of slow to believe, unbelieving, and instead of the eyes proposes to purge the light, becomes nonsense and the most fearful philosophical impotence and atony.

From Project Gutenberg

He did not deny that the kind of atony to which his monotonous life subjected him, made it necessary that he should be somewhat galvanised by the excitement of travel.

From Project Gutenberg

The patient is unable to empty the bladder, and the condition of atony gets increasingly worse.

From Project Gutenberg

The administration of capsicum is valuable in atony of the stomach due to chronic alcoholism, its hot stimulating effect not only increasing the appetite but to a certain degree satisfying the craving for alcohol.

From Project Gutenberg

Dr. Twining also mentions these same properties, recommends it as a tonic and aperient of great benefit in atony of the digestive organs and expresses surprise that the Europeans make no use of it.

From Project Gutenberg