stiff-person syndrome

A form of stiff person syndrome — A rare neurological disorder characterized by progressive rigidity and stiffness, primarily of the axial musculature, resulting in postural deformities.

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Meanings

nounstiff-person syndrome (uncountable)
  1. alternativeuncountableAlternative form of stiff person syndrome.

    When the disorder, stiff-person syndrome, eventually left her using a wheelchair, [Jacqui] Kapinowski began doing wheelchair competitions.

    2013 October 3, Julius Whigham II, “Marathoner adapts to life with wheelchair, keeps racing”, in The Palm Beach Post, section N, page 6
    2 more examples

    A further addition to the puzzle comes from the woman’s autopsy report. It showed definite abnormalities in muscles. Thus, “stiff-person syndrome” had a physical or organic base in her which means a hysterial^([sic]) mental state is not necessarily the most likely explanation.

    1958 February 24, Delos Smith, “Women Now Afflicted With Muscle Syndrome”, in The Pomona Progress Bulletin, 73rd year, number 21, Pomona, Calif., page 7

    The 39-year-old single mother of three was recently diagnosed with stiff-person syndrome, a painful and incurable progressive neurological disorder that causes stiffness and spasms of voluntary muscles.

    2004 November 6, Wendy Isom, “Looking on the bright side of life: Mother of three with rare disease finds solace in faith”, in The Jackson Sun, Jackson, Tenn., page 1C
Cite this entry
APA

stiff-person syndrome. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/stiff-person%20syndrome

MLA

“stiff-person syndrome.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/stiff-person%20syndrome. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “stiff-person syndrome,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/stiff-person%20syndrome.

Source: stiff-person syndrome on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.