Parkinson's disease

noun

Par·​kin·​son's disease ˈpär-kən-sənz- 

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

More Entertainment: When Does the Finale Episode of The Handmaid's Tale Season 6 Come Out? Fox has been retired since 2020 due to difficulties from Parkinson's disease, which had been affecting his speech. —Jeremy Hanna, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 May 2025

Bobbi and her siblings did their best to bring her comfort, even as dementia and Parkinson's disease started to take a toll. —Maquita Peters, NPR, 11 May 2025

The actor, who was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2015, initially had no plans to speak before or after the film. —Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 6 May 2025

In that last interview with, Ali, who died in 2016 at age 74, the boxing great's speech and movements are halting, due to the affects of Parkinson's disease, but his mind remains sharp. —Jeremy Helligar, People.com, 3 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

James Parkinson †1824 English physician

First Known Use

1877, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for Parkinson's disease

• ferromanganese
• mephistopheles
• ostracods
• abcs
• absentees
• addressees
• adoptees
• allottees
• amputees
• antifreeze
• appellees
• appointees

Kids Definition

Parkinson's disease

noun

Par·​kin·​son's disease ˈpär-kən-sənz- 

: 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- 

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