narcolepsy

play

noun nar·co·lep·sy \ ˈnär-kə-ˌlep-sē \

Definition of narcolepsy

plural narcolepsies

:a condition characterized by brief attacks of deep sleep often occurring with cataplexy and hypnagogic hallucinations

—

narcoleptic

play \ˌnär-kə-ˈlep-tik\ adjective

See narcolepsy defined for English-language learners

Recent Examples of narcolepsy from the Web

Jazz Pharmaceuticals Plc’s Xyrem, for the sleep disorder narcolepsy, and suboxone, for opioid addiction, also carry such warnings about the potential for side effects or abuse.

— cynthia koons, Bloomberg.com, "A Drug Program That Keeps Patients Safe (And Profits, Too)," 26 July 2017
Dreams, nightmares, sedatives, stimulants, narcolepsy, insomnia, post-traumatic stress disorder and even homelessness all come under his gaze.

— michael upchurch, The Seattle Times, "‘Snooze: The Lost Art of Sleep’: a delightful eye-opener," 25 June 2017
In 2007, Flygare, then a 24-year-old law student, was diagnosed with narcolepsy with cataplexy, a neurological disorder that causes chronic sleepiness and, in her case, symptoms of brief episodes of muscle weakness triggered by strong emotions.

— maria cartaya, CNN, "Runner: Having narcolepsy is harder than a marathon," 23 June 2017
The little girl, too, developed narcolepsy, forcing Church to acknowledge his own.

— sharon begley, Scientific American, "“A Feature, Not a Bug”: George Church Ascribes His Visionary Ideas to Narcolepsy," 9 June 2017
People who have narcolepsy tend to slip quickly into REM sleep, the phase when dreams occur, rather than experiencing the four phases that usually precede it.

— sharon begley, Scientific American, "“A Feature, Not a Bug”: George Church Ascribes His Visionary Ideas to Narcolepsy," 9 June 2017
In the 1960s, fenethylline was widely recommended to people suffering from ailments like hyperactivity and narcolepsy.

— adam taylor, Washington Post, "In a first, authorities say they found 750,000 ‘Captagon’ pills in France," 30 May 2017
The event held at Title Boxing Club in Carlsbad helped raise awareness and funds for the nonprofit that offers educational information, events and emotional support to those with narcolepsy, a sleeping disorder.

— linda mcintosh, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Teen raises money to help people with sleep disorders," 8 May 2017
The event included free boxing lessons, since MacKenzie found that boxing can help those with narcolepsy.

— linda mcintosh, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Teen raises money to help people with sleep disorders," 8 May 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'narcolepsy.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of narcolepsy

International Scientific Vocabulary

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1880

See Words from the same year

NARCOLEPSY Defined for English Language Learners

narcolepsy

play

noun

Definition of narcolepsy for English Language Learners

medical : a medical condition in which someone suddenly falls into a deep sleep while talking, working, etc.

Medical Dictionary

narcolepsy

play

noun nar·co·lep·sy \ ˈnär-kə-ˌlep-sē \

medical Definition of narcolepsy

plural narcolepsies

:a condition characterized by brief attacks of deep sleep often occurring with cataplexy and hypnagogic hallucinations — compare hypersomnia 2

Learn More about narcolepsy

Nglish: Translation of narcolepsy for Spanish speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about narcolepsy

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up narcolepsy? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show

narcolepsy

Definition of narcolepsy

narcoleptic

Recent Examples of narcolepsy from the Web

Origin and Etymology of narcolepsy

NARCOLEPSY Defined for English Language Learners

narcolepsy

Definition of narcolepsy for English Language Learners

Medical Dictionary

narcolepsy

medical Definition of narcolepsy

Learn More about narcolepsy

Seen and Heard

WORD OF THE DAY

legerity

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Test Your Vocabulary

Words at Play

Breathing Life Into 'Inspire'

Let's Talk 'Tea'

8 Words and Phrases from Boxing and Wrestling

The Ambiguity of Pushing 'Up' and 'Back'

Ask the Editors

Words of the Year: 1066

How Often Is 'Biweekly'?

Irregardless

Weird Plurals

Word Games

Merriam-Webster's New Words Quiz—Fall 2017 Edition!

Challenging Vocabulary Quiz Returns!

True or False?

SCRABBLE® Sprint

Breathing Life Into 'Inspire'

Trending: Kim Jong Un: Trump a 'Dotard'

These Are Fighting Words

Merriam-Webster's New Words Quiz—Fall 2017 Edition!

Words of the Year: 1066

narcolepsy

Definition of narcolepsy

narcoleptic

People Are Reading

Recent Examples of narcolepsy from the Web

Origin and Etymology of narcolepsy

NARCOLEPSY Defined for English Language Learners

narcolepsy

Definition of narcolepsy for English Language Learners

Medical Dictionary

narcolepsy

medical Definition of narcolepsy

Learn More about narcolepsy

Seen and Heard

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games

Breathing Life Into 'Inspire'

Trending: Kim Jong Un: Trump a 'Dotard'

These Are Fighting Words

Merriam-Webster's New Words Quiz—Fall 2017 Edition!

Words of the Year: 1066