Parkinson's disease
noun
Par·kin·son's disease
ˈpär-kən-sənz- 
variants
or less commonly Parkinson disease
or Parkinson's
or Parkinson's syndrome
: a chronic progressive neurological disease chiefly of later life that is linked to decreased dopamine production in the substantia nigra and is marked especially by tremor of resting muscles, rigidity, slowness of movement, impaired balance, and a shuffling gait
called also paralysis agitans
Examples of Parkinson's disease in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
While Parkinson's disease accounts for 80% of all Parkinsonism cases, other conditions — multiple system atrophy or corticobasal degeneration — can also cause the symptoms.
—
Lauryn Overhultz, Fox News, 30 Jan. 2025
He was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2007 and died in 2020, at age 88.
—Danny Horn, EW.com, 27 Jan. 2025
Backus returned for each of the Gilligan’s Island spinoffs, although his declining health due to Parkinson's disease limited his appearance in 1981’s The Harlem Globetrotters on Gilligan's Island to only a cameo.
—Colson Thayer, People.com, 20 Jan. 2025
Aaron Samson and his 83-year-old father-in-law, who has Parkinson's disease, made a harrowing escape from the Palisades Fire.
—Kelsie Hoffman, CBS News, 9 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for Parkinson's disease 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Lauryn Overhultz, Fox News, 30 Jan. 2025
He was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2007 and died in 2020, at age 88.
—Danny Horn, EW.com, 27 Jan. 2025
Backus returned for each of the Gilligan’s Island spinoffs, although his declining health due to Parkinson's disease limited his appearance in 1981’s The Harlem Globetrotters on Gilligan's Island to only a cameo.
—Colson Thayer, People.com, 20 Jan. 2025
Aaron Samson and his 83-year-old father-in-law, who has Parkinson's disease, made a harrowing escape from the Palisades Fire.
—Kelsie Hoffman, CBS News, 9 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for Parkinson's disease
Dictionary Entries Near Parkinson's disease
Cite this Entry
“Parkinson's disease.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Parkinson%27s%20disease. Accessed 2 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
Parkinson's disease
noun
Par·kin·son's disease
ˈpär-kən-sənz-
: a disease chiefly of later life that tends to get steadily worse and is marked especially by stiff and trembling muscles, slowness of movement, and a shuffling way of walking
Medical Definition
Parkinson's disease
noun
Par·kin·son's disease
ˈpär-kən-sənz-
variants
also Parkinson disease
or Parkinson's
-sən-
: a chronic progressive neurological disease chiefly of later life that is linked to decreased dopamine production in the substantia nigra, is of unknown cause, and is marked especially by tremor of resting muscles, rigidity, slowness of movement, impaired balance, and a shuffling gait
called also paralysis agitans, parkinsonian syndrome, parkinsonism, Parkinson's syndrome
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share