Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun Any of a group of nervous disorders similar to Parkinson's disease, marked by muscular rigidity, tremor, and impaired motor control and often having a specific cause, such as the use of certain drugs or frequent exposure to toxic chemicals.
  • noun Parkinson's disease.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun A degenerative nervous disorder occurring mostly in persons older than 60 years, characterized in advanced stages by rhythmic muscular tremors, especially in the hands, and by rigidity of movement, a drooping posture, slow speech, and a masklike facial expression; the term designates a set of symptoms, and the underlying disease causing these symptoms is most commonly Parkinson's disease. Parkinsonism results from a deficiency in the neurotransmitter dopamine caused by degeneration of the cells producing that agent. It can be mitigated by chemotherapy with agents such as levodopa (3-hydroxy-L-tyrosine).

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system characterized by tremor and impaired muscular coordination

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[From Parkinson's disease.]

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