Definitions

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

  • noun Loss of the ability to coordinate muscular movement.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun In pathology, irregularity in the functions of the body or in the course of a disease; specifically, inability to coördinate voluntary movements. Also ataxy.

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

  • noun obsolete Disorder; irregularity.
  • noun archaic, archaic Irregularity in disease, or in the functions.
  • noun archaic The state of disorder that characterizes nervous fevers and the nervous condition.
  • noun (Med.) Loss of coordination in the voluntary muscles, especially the limbs; an inability to coordinate voluntary muscle movements; it results in unsteady movements and a staggering gait. See also locomotor ataxia, an ataxia which occurs when attempting to perform coordinated muscular movements.
  • noun See Locomotor.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun pathology Lack of coordination while performing voluntary movements, which may appear to be clumsiness, inaccuracy, or instability.

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

  • noun inability to coordinate voluntary muscle movements; unsteady movements and staggering gait

Etymologies

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

[Greek ataxiā, disorder : a-, not; see a– + taxis, order.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

Borrowed from Ancient Greek ἀταξία (ataksia, "disorder"), derived from ἄτακτος (átaktos, "disorderly").

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Examples

  • Any person over the age of 18 with a confirmed diagnosis of Friedreich ataxia is eligible to participate.

    Friedreich's Ataxia (FA) Research at CHOP 2010

  • Any person with a confirmed diagnosis of Friedreich ataxia is eligible to participate.

    Friedreich's Ataxia (FA) Research at CHOP 2010

  • She developed pulmonary hypertension and a progressive neurological condition called ataxia that impacts balance and movement and has left her in need of a walker.

    The Bilerico Project 2010

  • Early symptoms reported by SCA2 patients appearing before gait ataxia, which is the most notorious clinical deficit, include dysarthria, problems with hand writing, and sleep disturbances

    PLoS ONE Alerts: New Articles 2009

  • Difficulty in speech, swallowing and sleep disturbances due to impaired coordination (also known as ataxia).

    unknown title 2009

  • She is especially interested in a disorder called ataxia telangiectasia, a genetic disease that first appears in young children.

    HHMI News 2009

  • Early symptoms reported by SCA2 patients appearing before gait ataxia, which is the most notorious clinical deficit, include dysarthria, problems with hand writing, and sleep disturbances

    PLoS ONE Alerts: New Articles 2009

  • The report describes a young boy with a fatal neuromuscular disease called ataxia telangiectasia, who was treated with embryonic stem cells.

    CRUSADER RABBIT 2009

  • The report describes a young boy with a fatal neuromuscular disease called ataxia telangiectasia, who was treated with embryonic stem cells.

    The Common Room 2009

  • The report describes a young boy with a fatal neuromuscular disease called ataxia telangiectasia, who was treated with embryonic stem cells.

    Think Progress 2009

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  • And not, as some may have assumed, the loss of ability to comprehend tax forms

    October 31, 2023