neurodegenerative

adjective

neu·​ro·​de·​gen·​er·​a·​tive ˌnu̇r-ō-di-ˈje-nə-rə-tiv 

-ˈjen-rə-;

-ˈje-nə-ˌrā-;

-dē-, 

ˌnyu̇r-

: relating to or marked by degeneration of nervous tissue

Examples of neurodegenerative in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

In the latest episode of Brilliant Minds, the 53-year-old plays Matthew, a firefighter and 9/11 hero who is struggling to tell his wife — played by Mädchen Amick — and daughter that he's been diagnosed with ALS, a neurodegenerative disease which the actor was also diagnosed with in real life. —Kimberlee Speakman, PEOPLE, 25 Nov. 2025

Earlier this year, Dane himself announced that he had been diagnosed with the neurodegenerative disease, which gradually paralyzes the body by destroying the nerve cells that control muscle movement. —Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 25 Nov. 2025

Niotis added that neurodegenerative diseases cause accelerated brain shrinkage in specific regions of the brain like the gray matter. —Sandra Rose Salathe, Flow Space, 21 Nov. 2025

This strategy could eventually be applied to the research of neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s. —Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 18 Nov. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1907, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for neurodegenerative

• degenerative
• regenerative
• generative

Medical Definition

neurodegenerative

adjective

neu·​ro·​de·​gen·​er·​a·​tive -di-ˈjen-ə-ˌrāt-iv, -di-ˈjen-(ə-)rət- 

: relating to or characterized by degeneration of nervous tissue

neurodegeneration

-di-ˌjen-ə-ˈrā-shən, -ˌdē- 

noun