apraxia

A1P3R1A1X8I1A1
/əˈpɹæksɪə/

noun

Total or partial loss of the ability to perform coordinated movements or manipulate objects in the absence of motor or sensory impairment; specifically, a disorder of motor planning.

OriginAncient Greek ᾰ̓πρᾱξῐ́ᾱ (ăprāxĭ́ā) ← Proto-Hellenic *prā́t͏̌t͏̌ō ← Proto-Indo-European *pr̥h₂-k-yé-ti →
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Word of the Day · Dec 8, 2025

Meanings

nounapraxia (usually uncountable, plural apraxias)

plural apraxias

  1. uncountableusuallymedicineTotal or partial loss of the ability to perform coordinated movements or manipulate objects in the absence of motor or sensory impairment; specifically, a disorder of motor planning.
  2. uncountableusuallyhuman sciencesThe state of total inaction caused by holding global skepticism.

    But how does the skeptic live without knowledge or at least belief? It seems that the skeptical challenges, though theoretically unimpeachable, have objectionable practical consequences. Call this the apraxia problem for skepticism.

    2020 June 9, Kelly Arenson, The Routledge Handbook of Hellenistic Philosophy, Routledge, →ISBN

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*né
  2. Proto-Indo-European*n̥-
  3. Proto-Hellenic*ə-
  4. Ancient Greekᾰ̓- (ă-)
  5. Proto-Indo-European*per-
  6. Proto-Indo-European*pr̥h₂-k-yé-ti
  7. Proto-Hellenic*prā́t͏̌t͏̌ō
  8. Ancient Greekπρᾱ́σσω (prā́ssō)
  9. Ancient Greekπρᾶξῐς (prâxĭs)
  10. Ancient Greekᾰ̓πρᾱξῐ́ᾱ (ăprāxĭ́ā)
  11. Englishapraxia

From Ancient Greek ἀπραξία (apraxía, “inaction”), from ἀ- (a-, “without”) + πρᾶξις (prâxis, “activity”) + -ία (-ía, abstract noun suffix). By surface analysis, a- + -praxia.

More words from Ancient Greek

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Catalan apràxia
  • apràxiadisorder of motor planning
Chinese Mandarin 失用症
  • 失用症disorder of motor planning
Czech apraxie
  • apraxiedisorder of motor planning
Finnish apraksia
  • apraksiadisorder of motor planning
German Apraxie, Bewegungsstörung
  • Apraxiedisorder of motor planning
  • Bewegungsstörungdisorder of motor planning
Hungarian apraxia
  • apraxiadisorder of motor planning
Norwegian Bokmål apraksi
  • apraksidisorder of motor planning
Polish apraksja
  • apraksjadisorder of motor planning
Portuguese apraxia
  • apraxiadisorder of motor planning
Russian апра́ксия
  • апра́ксия (apráksija)disorder of motor planning
Spanish apraxia
  • apraxiadisorder of motor planning
Cite this entry
APA

apraxia. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/apraxia

MLA

“apraxia.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/apraxia. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “apraxia,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/apraxia.

Source: apraxia on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.