Prader-Willi syndrome

noun

Pra·​der-Wil·​li syndrome ˈprä-dər-ˈvi-lē- 

: a genetic disorder characterized especially by short stature, intellectual disability, hypotonia, functionally deficient gonads, and uncontrolled appetite leading to extreme obesity

Examples of Prader-Willi syndrome in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Risk Factors of Prader-Willi Syndrome Prader-Willi syndrome happens equally in females and males. — Ruth Jessen Hickman, Health, 15 Apr. 2026

Hyperphagia is one of the defining features of Prader-Willi syndrome, causing relentless hunger and leading patients to overeat. — Allison Deangelis, STAT, 6 Apr. 2026

Sometimes, a primary variant and a secondary variant together can cause two different disorders in the same person, such as Prader-Willi syndrome and Pitt-Hopkins syndrome. — Santhosh Girirajan, The Conversation, 7 Oct. 2025

According to an arrest warrant obtained by NBC News, one of the victims is a 17-year-old who’s cognitively impaired from a rare genetic disorder known as Prader-Willi syndrome. — David Matthews, New York Daily News, 19 Aug. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Andrea Prader †2001 and Heinrich Willi †1971 Swiss pediatricians

First Known Use

1964, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for Prader-Willi syndrome

• acrosome
• aerodrome
• catacomb
• centrosome
• chromosome
• cytochrome
• hippodrome
• honeycomb
• liposome
• meerschaum
• metronome
• microtome

Medical Definition

Prader-Willi syndrome

noun

Pra·​der-Wil·​li syndrome ˈprä-dər-ˈvil-ē- 

: a genetic disorder characterized by short stature, intellectual disability, hypotonia, abnormally small hands and feet, hypogonadism, and uncontrolled appetite leading to extreme obesity