paralysis

B2 Topic:Abstract Ideas

US /pəˈɹæləsəs/ See IPA manual

Freq #13508

Meanings

1

noun
The loss of the ability to move part or all of the body.

The accident left him with paralysis in both legs.
2

noun
A state of being unable to act or make decisions.

The crisis caused complete paralysis in the government.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · the loss of the ability to... palsy

More immobility

Word family

Forms hemiplegicparalysesparalytic

Derived forms acroparalysisangioparalysishemiparalysisimmunoparalysisiridoparalysiskeraunoparalysislaryngoparalysisneuroparalysispseudoparalysissemiparalysisstethoparalysisvasoparalysis

Related forms paralyseparalyticparalyze paresis

Appears in

Phrases (2)

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Simplified etymology

Paralysis is recorded from the Old English period and comes from Latin. It was formed from Greek paraluesthai, “be disabled at the side,” itself formed from para, “beside,” and luein, “loosen.”

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin paralysis, from Ancient Greek παράλυσις (parálusis, “palsy”), from παραλύω (paralúō, “to disable on one side”). By surface analysis, para- + -lysis. Doublet of palsy.

paralysis Latin παράλυσις Ancient Greek *preh₂- Proto-Indo-European

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Topics

Abstract Ideas

External links

# paralysis

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /pəˈɹæləsəs/
**Frequency rank:** 13508

## Meanings
1. The loss of the ability to move part or all of the body.
2. A state of being unable to act or make decisions.

## Examples
- The accident left him with paralysis in both legs.
- The crisis caused complete paralysis in the government.

## Synonyms
- immobility
- palsy

## Derived Forms
- acroparalysis
- angioparalysis
- hemiparalysis
- immunoparalysis
- iridoparalysis
- keraunoparalysis
- laryngoparalysis
- neuroparalysis
- pseudoparalysis
- semiparalysis
- stethoparalysis
- vasoparalysis

## Related Forms
- paralyse
- paralytic
- paralyze
- paresis

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: paralysis
- Root: παράλυσις
- Root: *preh₂-

## Etymology
Borrowed from Latin paralysis, from Ancient Greek παράλυσις (parálusis, “palsy”), from παραλύω (paralúō, “to disable on one side”). By surface analysis, para- + -lysis. Doublet of palsy.

## AI Etymology
Paralysis was borrowed from Latin paralysis, from Ancient Greek παράλυσις (parálusis, “palsy”), from παραλύω (paralúō, “to disable on one side”). By surface analysis, para- + -lysis. Doublet of palsy. Modern senses include the loss of the ability to move part or all of the body and a state of being unable to act or make decisions. The wider word family includes derivatives such as acroparalysis, angioparalysis, hemiparalysis, immunoparalysis, iridoparalysis, and keraunoparalysis and related forms such as paralyse, paralytic, paralyze, and paresis.

## Topics
- Abstract Ideas

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