atony
|a-ton-y|
🇺🇸
/əˈtoʊni/
🇬🇧
/əˈtəʊni/
lack of (muscle/organ) tone
Etymology
'atony' originates from New Latin (or Modern Latin) 'atonia', ultimately from Greek 'atonos' formed from the prefix 'a-' meaning 'without' and 'tonos' meaning 'tone' or 'tension'.
'atony' changed from Modern/Medieval Latin 'atonia' (borrowed from Greek 'atonos') and was adopted into English in medical usage as 'atony'.
Initially it meant 'absence of tension' in a general sense; over time it has been used specifically in medical contexts to denote 'loss of muscle or organ tone'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a medical condition marked by loss or absence of normal physiological tone or tension in muscle or an organ, producing flaccidity or reduced function (e.g., bladder atony, uterine atony).
After the operation the patient developed bladder atony and had difficulty urinating.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/10/02 03:29