dystrophy
noun
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Breaking Down Dystrophy
Since the prefix dys- means "bad" or "difficult", dystrophy is always a negative term. Originally it meant "a condition caused by improper nutrition", but today the term is instead used for a variety of other conditions, particularly conditions that noticeably affect the muscles. Of the many types of muscular dystrophy, the best known is Duchenne's, a terrible disease that strikes about one in 3,300 males and produces severe wasting of the muscles. However, the muscular dystrophies generally affect many other organs and systems as well. And the other dystrophies, which tend to involve the eyes or hands, don't much resemble the muscular dystrophies.
Examples of dystrophy in a Sentence
Michael Irving, New Atlas, 1 Mar. 2025
Potential complications of out-toeing can include: Muscle dystrophy: Duck-footed walking can affect certain muscles around the shin and in the calf or glutes (buttocks muscles), leading to muscle weakness.
—Mark Gurarie, Health, 5 Apr. 2025
The company is also developing AAV-RPE65 for the treatment of retinal dystrophy associated with mutations in the RPE65 gene.
—Quartz Intelligence Newsroom, Quartz, 13 Mar. 2025
The company's second program, targeting Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy (FECD) with DT-168, has completed a Phase 1 clinical trial in healthy volunteers.
—Quartz Intelligence Newsroom, Quartz, 10 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dystrophy
Cite this Entry
“Dystrophy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dystrophy. Accessed 22 May. 2025.
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dystrophy
noun
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