palsy

1 of 3

noun

pal·​sy ˈpȯl-zē 

plural palsies

1

: paralysis

—used chiefly in combination

oculomotor palsy

see bell's palsy, cerebral palsy

2

: a condition that is marked by uncontrollable tremor and quivering of the body or one or more of its parts

—not used technically

… an involuntary shake that was to prove the prelude to age's palsy.

—Angus Wilson

palsy

2 of 3

verb

palsied; palsying

transitive verb

: to affect with or as if with palsy

palsy

3 of 3

adjective

ˈpal-zē 

: palsy-walsy

Synonyms

Noun

• paralysis

Adjective

• warm
• friendly
• gracious
• palsy-walsy [slang]
• merry
• affectionate

Examples of palsy in a Sentence

Noun

palsy can sometimes be caused by a brain injury

Adjective

the salesman changed his palsy attitude when he realized that I wasn't buying

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The Emmy-winning composer died Thursday at his home in Los Angeles following an eight-year battle with progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), Clausen’s daughter told the Hollywood Reporter. —Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 31 May 2025

For example, in the hand tendon-transfer surgery for high median-ulnar palsy, one muscle is sutured to all four finger flexor tendons. —Evan Ackerman, IEEE Spectrum, 30 Mar. 2018

Verb

Things Became Difficult’ A doctor can usually diagnose Bell’s palsy just by looking at a person, but may decide to do a blood test, MRI, or CT scan to rule out other causes of facial paralysis, like diabetes or tumors. —Sarah Klein, PEOPLE.com, 26 July 2017

Adjective

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and progressive bulbar palsy are both examples of motor neuron diseases. —Marlene Lenthang, NBC News, 3 Oct. 2024

The company will reduce its workforce by approximately 70% and prioritize funding its ongoing studies of an experimental drug for Wolfram syndrome and supranuclear palsy – both rare neurodegenerative disorders – and another experimental drug for ALS, according to the news release. —Mira Cheng, CNN, 4 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English palesie, alteration of parlesey, from Anglo-French paralisie, from Latin paralysis

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1615, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1951, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing palsy

• Bell's palsy
• cerebral palsy
• palsy-walsy
• shaking palsy

Kids Definition

palsy

noun

pal·​sy

ˈpȯl-zē

1

: paralysis

2

: a condition marked by uncontrollable trembling or shaking of the body or a part (as the head or hands)

Medical Definition

palsy

noun

pal·​sy ˈpȯl-zē 

plural palsies

1

: paralysis

—used chiefly in combination

oculomotor palsy

see bell's palsy, cerebral palsy

2

: a condition that is characterized by uncontrollable tremor or quivering of the body or one or more of its parts

—not used technically