chorea

[ kuh-ree-uh, kaw-, koh- ]
/ kəˈri ə, kɔ-, koʊ- /

noun Pathology.

any of several diseases of the nervous system characterized by jerky, involuntary movements, chiefly of the face and extremities.
Also called St. Vitus's dance. such a disease occurring chiefly in children and associated with rheumatic fever.
Veterinary Pathology. a disease of the central nervous system caused by bacterial or organic degeneration, most common in dogs following canine distemper, characterized by irregular, jerky, involuntary muscular movements.

Origin of chorea

1680–90; < Greek choreía a dance, equivalent to chor(ós) chorus + -eia -y3

OTHER WORDS FROM chorea

cho·re·al, cho·re·ic, cho·re·at·ic [kawr-ee-at-ik, kohr-] /ˌkɔr iˈæt ɪk, ˌkoʊr-/, adjective cho·re·oid [kawr-ee-oid, kohr-] /ˈkɔr iˌɔɪd, ˈkoʊr-/, adjective

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH chorea

chorea Korea

Words nearby chorea

chordoskeleton, chordotomy, chordotonal, chordwise, chore, chorea, choregus, choreic abasia, choreic movement, choreiform, choreman

Example sentences from the Web for chorea

British Dictionary definitions for chorea

chorea
/ (kɒˈrɪə) /

noun

a disorder of the central nervous system characterized by uncontrollable irregular brief jerky movements See Huntington's disease, Sydenham's chorea

Derived forms of chorea

choreal or choreic, adjective

Word Origin for chorea

C19: from New Latin, from Latin: dance, from Greek khoreia, from khoros dance; see chorus

Medical definitions for chorea

chorea
[ kô-rē′ə, kə- ]

n.

Irregular, spasmodic, involuntary movements of the limbs or facial muscles.

Other words from chorea

cho•re′al null adj.