neurodegenerative

adjective

neu·​ro·​de·​gen·​er·​a·​tive ˌnu̇r-ō-di-ˈje-nə-rə-tiv 

-ˈjen-rə-;

-ˈje-nə-ˌrā-;

-dē-, 

ˌnyu̇r-

: relating to or marked by degeneration of nervous tissue

Examples of neurodegenerative in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The loss of the sense of smell is often one of the first warning signs of neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease even up to a decade before there are other diagnosable symptoms. — Richard Sima, Washington Post, 14 July 2026

Alzheimer's disease is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by abnormal biological processes in the brain that often lead to cognitive decline. — Edward Segarra, USA Today, 14 July 2026

Today, most hospice patients have neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson's, and dementia — diseases with long, unpredictable trajectories. — Wes Kilgore, Forbes.com, 11 June 2026

The patient’s Alzheimer's diagnosis was not confirmed with modern biomarkers, and other neurodegenerative conditions could not be completely ruled out, the study stated. — Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 9 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1907, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing neurodegenerative

• neurodegenerative disease
• neurodegenerative disorder

Rhymes for neurodegenerative

• degenerative
• regenerative
• generative

Medical Definition

neurodegenerative

adjective

neu·​ro·​de·​gen·​er·​a·​tive -di-ˈjen-ə-ˌrāt-iv, -di-ˈjen-(ə-)rət- 

: relating to or characterized by degeneration of nervous tissue

neurodegeneration

-di-ˌjen-ə-ˈrā-shən, -ˌdē- 

noun