ɪˈtoʊBased on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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| a calculus or concretion found in the stomach or intestines of certain animals, esp. ruminants, formerly reputed to be an effective remedy for poison. |
| a fool or simpleton; ninny. |
athetosis (ˌæθəˈtəʊsɪs) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —n | |
| pathol a condition characterized by uncontrolled rhythmic writhing movement, esp of fingers, hands, head, and tongue, caused by cerebral lesion | |
| [C19: from Greek athetos not in place, from | |
| 'athetoid | |
| —adj | |
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athetosis
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athetosis ath·e·to·sis (āth'ĭ-tō'sĭs)
n.
A constant succession of slow, writhing, involuntary movements of flexion, extension, pronation, and supination of fingers and hands, and sometimes of toes and feet.
ath'e·toid' or ath'e·to'sic or ath'e·tot'ic (-tŏt'ĭk) adj.
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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athetosis
slow, purposeless, and involuntary movements of the hands, feet, face, tongue, and neck (as well as other muscle groups). The fingers are separately flexed and extended in an entirely irregular way. The hands as a whole are also moved, and the arms, toes, and feet may be affected. The condition is usually caused by malfunctioning of the basal ganglia of the cerebrum. The movements may or may not continue during sleep. They cannot be arrested for more than a moment by willpower and are aggravated by voluntary movements. See also cerebral palsy.
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