amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

noun

amyo·​tro·​phic lateral sclerosis ˌā-ˌmī-ə-ˈtrō-fik-  -ˈträ- 

: a rare progressive degenerative fatal disease affecting the motor neurons, usually beginning in middle age, and characterized especially by increasing and spreading muscular weakness and atrophy

—abbreviation ALS

called also Lou Gehrig's disease

Examples of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Lagrange, a neurologist, had diagnosed a 42-year-old woman with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS. —Shayla Love, The Atlantic, 23 Mar. 2025

No cause of death was revealed, though Flack was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, two and a half years ago. —Brendan Le, People.com, 24 Feb. 2025

In Memoriam: Notable people who died in 2025 Flack was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, otherwise known as ALS, in 2022, which resulted in the loss of her singing voice, her publicists said at the time. —Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 24 Feb. 2025

Her death followed several years of health challenges, including a diagnosis, revealed publicly in late 2022, of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS. —Dakin Andone, CNN, 24 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

a- entry 2 + my- + -trophic

First Known Use

1875, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

• acanthosis
• acidosis
• alkalosis
• amaurosis
• ankylosis
• asbestosis
• brucellosis
• cyanosis
• dermatosis
• diagnosis
• ecchymosis
• exostosis

Medical Definition

amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

noun

: a rare fatal progressive degenerative disease that affects pyramidal motor neurons, usually begins in middle age, and is characterized especially by increasing and spreading muscular weakness

—abbreviation ALS

called also Lou Gehrig's disease