amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

noun

amyo·​tro·​phic lateral sclerosis ˌā-ˌmī-ə-ˈtrō-fik-  -ˈträ- 

: a rare progressive degenerative fatal disease affecting the motor neurons, usually beginning in middle age, and characterized especially by increasing and spreading muscular weakness and atrophy

—abbreviation ALS

called also Lou Gehrig's disease

Examples of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Her mom, Linda Krohn Lund—who passed away in 2022 from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)—had suffered a stroke during childbirth that left her physically limited for life. —Sierra Shafer, Outside, 18 Nov. 2025

The technology could potentially be used to assist people with aphasia, who struggle with language expression due to damage around the language network; or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects speech, according to the study. —Amarachi Orie, CNN Money, 14 Nov. 2025

On April 10, 2025, Eric Dane revealed he had been diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). —Stephanie Sengwe, PEOPLE, 9 Nov. 2025

Kato was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in 2010. —Kelly Meyerhofer, jsonline.com, 4 Nov. 2025

Word History

Etymology

translation of French sclérose latérale amyotrophique; amyotrophique "marked by atrophy of a muscle" from a- a- entry 2 + myo- myo- + -trophique -trophic

First Known Use

1875, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

• acanthosis
• acidosis
• alkalosis
• amaurosis
• ankylosis
• asbestosis
• brucellosis
• cyanosis
• dermatosis
• diagnosis
• ecchymosis
• exostosis

Medical Definition

amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

noun

: a rare fatal progressive degenerative disease that affects pyramidal motor neurons, usually begins in middle age, and is characterized especially by increasing and spreading muscular weakness

—abbreviation ALS

called also Lou Gehrig's disease