Meanings
nounBell's palsy (uncountable)
- uncountablemedicineA paralysis of cranial nerve VII (the facial nerve) resulting in inability to control facial muscles on the affected side.
A Bell's palsy is a facial paralysis that affects one side of the face only, generally caused by a viral infection.
2020, Dr Amir Khan, The Doctor Will See You Now, Ebury Press (2021), page 15
Origin
Named after Scottish surgeon Charles Bell (1774–1842), who first described the connection of the facial nerve to the condition.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Chinese Mandarin 貝爾氏麻痺 /贝尔氏麻痹
- 貝爾氏麻痺 /贝尔氏麻痹 (Bèi'ěrshì mábì)paralysis of cranial nerve VII, the facial nerve
Czech Bellova obrna
- Bellova obrnaparalysis of cranial nerve VII, the facial nerve
Finnish kasvohalvaus
- kasvohalvausparalysis of cranial nerve VII, the facial nerve
German idiopathische Fazialisparese, Bell’sche Parese
- idiopathische Fazialispareseparalysis of cranial nerve VII, the facial nerve
- Bell’sche Pareseparalysis of cranial nerve VII, the facial nerve
Icelandic andlitsvöðvalömun
- andlitsvöðvalömunparalysis of cranial nerve VII, the facial nerve
Japanese ベル麻痺
- ベル麻痺 (Beru mahi)paralysis of cranial nerve VII, the facial nerve
Portuguese paralisia de Bell
- paralisia de Bellparalysis of cranial nerve VII, the facial nerve
Russian парали́ч Бе́лла
- парали́ч Бе́лла (paralíč Bɛ́lla)paralysis of cranial nerve VII, the facial nerve
Cite this entry
APA
Bell's palsy. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Bell's%20palsy
MLA
“Bell's palsy.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Bell's%20palsy. Accessed November 3, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Bell's palsy,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Bell's%20palsy.
Source: Bell's palsy on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.