poliomyelitis

noun po·lio·my·eli·tis \ˌpō-lē-(ˌ)ō-ˌmī-ə-ˈlī-təs\

Definition of POLIOMYELITIS

: an acute infectious disease caused by the poliovirus and characterized by fever, motor paralysis, and atrophy of skeletal muscles often with permanent disability and deformity and marked by inflammation of nerve cells in the anterior gray matter in each lateral half of the spinal cord —called also infantile paralysis

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Origin of POLIOMYELITIS

New Latin, from Greek polios gray + myelos marrow — more at fallow, myel-

First Known Use: 1878

Rhymes with POLIOMYELITIS

diverticulitis, gastroenteritis

POLIOMYELITIS Defined for Kids

poliomyelitis

noun po·lio·my·eli·tis \ˌpō-lē-ˌō-ˌmī-ə-ˈlī-təs\

Definition of POLIOMYELITIS for Kids

: polio

Medical Dictionary

poliomyelitis

noun po·lio·my·eli·tis \ˌpō-lē-(ˌ)ō-ˌmī-ə-ˈlīt-əs\

plural po·lio·my·elit·i·des \-ˈlit-ə-ˌdēz\

Medical Definition of POLIOMYELITIS

: an acute infectious virus disease caused by the poliovirus, characterized by fever, motor paralysis, and atrophy of skeletal muscles often with permanent disability and deformity, and marked by inflammation of nerve cells in the ventral horns of the spinal cord—called also infantile paralysis, polio

—po·lio·my·elit·ic \-ˈlit-ik\ adjective