chorea

noun

cho·​rea kə-ˈrē-ə How to pronounce chorea (audio)
: a movement disorder marked by involuntary spasmodic movements especially of the limbs and facial muscles and typically symptomatic of neurological dysfunction (such as that associated with a neurodegenerative disease or metabolic disturbance) see Huntington's disease
choreic adjective

Examples of chorea in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web And the youngest had tics and movements so extreme that doctors diagnosed him with Sydenham chorea. Pamela Weintraub, Discover Magazine, 3 Jan. 2019 Medical concerns facing the midwives will include everything from breech birth to cancer, Huntington's chorea, and cataracts. Caroline Hallemann, Town & Country, 12 Mar. 2018 Six months later, doctors diagnosed Huntington’s chorea. Longreads, 26 Oct. 2017 He had been admitted with Huntington’s chorea after his family could no longer take care of him. Randall Fuller, WSJ, 28 July 2017 San Diego’s Auspex Pharmaceuticals developed a drug to manage Huntington’s chorea, the uncontrollable movements associated with the disease. Bradley J. Fikes, sandiegouniontribune.com, 8 May 2017

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'chorea.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Latin, dance, from Greek choreia, from choros chorus

First Known Use

1804, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of chorea was in 1804

Dictionary Entries Near chorea

Cite this Entry

“Chorea.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chorea. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Medical Definition

chorea

noun
cho·​rea kə-ˈrē-ə How to pronounce chorea (audio)
: a movement disorder marked by involuntary spasmodic movements especially of the limbs and facial muscles and typically symptomatic of neurological dysfunction (as that associated with a neurodegenerative disease or metabolic disturbance) see huntington's disease, sydenham's chorea
choreatic adjective
choreic adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on chorea

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