Definition of Atrophy

1. Noun. A decrease in size of an organ caused by disease or disuse.

Exact synonyms: Wasting, Wasting Away
Specialized synonyms: Amyotrophia, Amyotrophy, Tabes, Kraurosis
Generic synonyms: Symptom

2. Verb. Undergo atrophy. "Muscles that are not used will atrophy"
Generic synonyms: Shrink, Shrivel, Shrivel Up, Wither

3. Noun. Any weakening or degeneration (especially through lack of use).
Exact synonyms: Withering
Generic synonyms: Weakening
Derivative terms: Wither

Definition of Atrophy

1. n. A wasting away from want of nourishment; diminution in bulk or slow emaciation of the body or of any part.

2. v. t. To cause to waste away or become abortive; to starve or weaken.

3. v. i. To waste away; to dwindle.

Definition of Atrophy

1. Noun. (pathology) A reduction in the functionality of an organ caused by disease, injury or lack of use. ¹

2. Verb. To wither or waste away. ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Definition of Atrophy

1. to waste away [v -PHIED, -PHYING, -PHIES]

Medical Definition of Atrophy

1. A wasting away, a diminution in the size of a cell, tissue, organ or part. Origin: L., Gr. Atrophia (16 Dec 1997)

Lexicographical Neighbors of Atrophy

atrophie blanche
atrophied
atrophies
atrophin
atrophoderma
atrophoderma biotripticum
atrophoderma diffusum
atrophoderma maculatum
atrophoderma neuriticum
atrophoderma of Pasini and Pierini
atrophoderma reticulatum symmetricum faciei
atrophoderma striatum
atrophoderma vermiculatum
atrophodermatosis
atrophy (current term)
atrophying
atropia
atropias
atropin
atropine
atropine dehydrase
atropine derivatives
atropine methonitrate
atropine methylbromide
atropine sulfate
atropine test
atropines
atropinic
atropinism

Literary usage of Atrophy

Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:

1. Monographic Medicine by William Robie Patten Emerson, Guido Guerrini, William Brown, Wendell Christopher Phillips, John Whitridge Williams, John Appleton Swett, Hans Günther, Mario Mariotti, Hugh Grant Rowell (1916)
"The muscular atrophy that accompanies amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is nothing but the spinal form of progressive (central) muscular atrophy combined with ..."

2. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease by Philadelphia Neurological Society, American Neurological Association, Chicago Neurological Society, New York Neurological Association (1903)
"Some degree of muscular atrophy is not uncommon in tabes, in fact such complication occurs in from 15 to 20 per cent of all the cases. ..."

3. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease by American Neurological Association, Philadelphia Neurological Society, Chicago Neurological Society, New York Neurological Association, Boston Society of Psychiatry and Neurology (1903)
"Some degree of muscular atrophy is not uncommon in tabes, ... The variety or form of atrophy that I shall consider particularly in this article, however, ..."

4. The American Journal of the Medical Sciences by Southern Society for Clinical Investigation (U.S.) (1907)
"MY purpose herewith is to emphasize the constant finding oi atrophy of the thymus gland in infantile atrophy, and to report a particular case in which there ..."

5. Text-book of ophthalmology by Ernst Fuchs (1892)
"In serious lesions of the optic nerve, as in progressive atrophy, ... atrophy of the optic nerve develops either as a primary affection or as secondary to ..."

6. The Principles and Practice of Medicine: Designed for the Use of by William Osler (1909)
"Associated with it is a progressive atrophy of the muscles, combined with more or less spastic rigidity. Three affections, as a rule described apart, ..."

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