cerebral palsy

noun

: a disability resulting from damage to the brain before, during, or shortly after birth and outwardly manifested by muscular incoordination and speech disturbances

cerebral-palsied

sə-ˈrē-brəl-ˈpȯl-zēd 

ˈser-ə-

ˈse-rə-

adjective

Examples of cerebral palsy in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Hills, who has cerebral palsy, launched her business, The Dazey Hills Company, in January 2019 in Southampton, UK, representing about 10 local actors while working on a production job for a Hollywood movie filmed in the UK. —Elaine Pofeldt, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2025

Born with mild cerebral palsy and a connective tissue disorder known as Marfan Syndrome, the 25-year-old ceramicist spent his adolescence in physical therapy working with putty and Play-Doh to build up dexterity and motor control. —David Nash, Architectural Digest, 26 Aug. 2025

He was diagnosed with cerebral palsy from the brain injury and had a feeding tube placed. —Arkansas Online, 25 Aug. 2025

Renee Christian, a single mom with cerebral palsy, lives in Buffalo, New York, with her 12-year-old daughter. —Gretchen Morgenson, NBC news, 13 Aug. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1824, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

cerebral palsy

noun

: a disease resulting from damage to the brain usually before or during birth and resulting in imperfect control of muscles, paralysis, and speech disturbances

Medical Definition

cerebral palsy

noun

: a disability resulting from damage to the brain before, during, or shortly after birth and outwardly manifested by muscular incoordination and speech disturbances see ataxic cerebral palsy, athetoid cerebral palsy, spastic cerebral palsy

cerebral palsied adjective