myasthenia gravis

noun

, Pathology.

1. a disease of impaired transmission of motor nerve impulses, characterized by episodic muscle weakness and easy fatigability, especially of the face, tongue, neck, and respiratory muscles: caused by autoimmune destruction of acetylcholine receptors. : MG

myasthenia gravis

/ ˈɡrɑːvɪs /

noun

1. a chronic progressive disease in which the muscles, esp those of the head and face, become weak and easily fatigued

Word History and Origins

Origin of myasthenia gravis¹

1895–1900; < New Latin: serious muscle weakness

Example Sentences

Bender confirmed her father’s death and said the cause was complications from myasthenia gravis, a neuromuscular disease.

From Washington Post

The doctor listened to Emmons’s description of her symptoms and told her he suspected she had myasthenia gravis, a rare neuromuscular condition that causes muscle weakness.

From Washington Post

Could it be a different type of autoimmune disease — maybe myasthenia gravis?

From New York Times

He agreed that these symptoms made myasthenia gravis a likely diagnosis.

From New York Times

The deal gives Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen unit access to Momenta’s experimental therapy, nipocalimab, being tested for myasthenia gravis, a neuromuscular disease that causes weakness in muscles.

From Reuters