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Glite Dictionary
areflexia

areflexia

1 9.9
The body has no reflexes when a doctor taps muscles, often from nerve damage
  • noun
  • /ˌɛəˈrɛflɪə/
  • Specialized
translation icon : areflexia
  • After the injury, the doctor noted that the patient had developed areflexia, indicating potential nerve damage.

Examples

  • Sudden onset of areflexia requires immediate medical evaluation to determine its cause.

  • Areflexia can be a symptom of Guillain-Barré syndrome or other neurological disorders.

  • The doctor noted areflexia in the patient's knee during the examination.

  • The patient showed signs of areflexia during the examination.

  • A diagnosis of areflexia can indicate serious neurological issues.

  • The presence of areflexia in the neurological exam suggested that further tests were needed to assess nerve function.

  • During the evaluation, the neurologist found that the absence of reflexes, or areflexia, was concerning.

Antonyms

reflex
54 3.7

A quick action you do without thinking in response to something

How Reflexive

areflexia
  • Specialized
1 9.9

Surface Forms

areflexia singular
areflexias plural

Morphology

areflexia = reflex (semi-transparent) = a + reflex + ia

The prefix 'a-' denotes absence, and 'reflex' is clear, but the overall medical condition indicated by 'areflexia' may not be obvious without specialized knowledge.

Etymology

The word areflexia comes from the prefix a- meaning 'without' and the word reflex, which is a quick, automatic movement like the 'knee-jerk' reaction. So areflexia is the condition of being 'without reflexes', which is why doctors use it when a patient's reflexes are missing.