paraplegia

[ par-uh-plee-jee-uh, -juh ]
See synonyms for: paraplegiaparaplegic on Thesaurus.com

nounPathology.
  1. paralysis of both lower limbs due to spinal disease or injury.: Compare quadriplegia.

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Origin of paraplegia

1
First recorded in 1580–90; from New Latin, from Ionic Greek (Hippocrates) paraplēgíē; “hemiplegia”; see para-1, -plegia

Other words from paraplegia

  • par·a·ple·gic [par-uh-plee-jik, -plej-ik], /ˌpær əˈpli dʒɪk, -ˈplɛdʒ ɪk/, adjective, noun

Words Nearby paraplegia

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use paraplegia in a sentence

  • Affections of the Spinal Cord are extremely rare, but paraplegia from myelitis has been observed.

    Manual of Surgery | Alexis Thomson and Alexander Miles
  • In the vertebræ, it is attended with a painful form of paraplegia, which may involve the lower or all four extremities.

    Manual of Surgery | Alexis Thomson and Alexander Miles
  • In the vertebral column, hydatids give rise to angular deformity and paraplegia.

    Manual of Surgery | Alexis Thomson and Alexander Miles

British Dictionary definitions for paraplegia

paraplegia

/ (ˌpærəˈpliːdʒə) /


noun
  1. pathol paralysis of the lower half of the body, usually as the result of disease or injury of the spine: Compare hemiplegia, quadriplegia

Origin of paraplegia

1
C17: via New Latin from Greek: a blow on one side, from para- 1 + plēssein to strike

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

Scientific definitions for paraplegia

paraplegia

[ păr′ə-plējē-ə ]


  1. Paralysis of the lower part of the body, caused by injury to the spinal cord.

The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.