Definition

A condition where a person cannot control their muscle movements properly, leading to uncoordinated actions.

Example

The patient was diagnosed with ataxia after showing signs of unsteady walking and difficulty with fine motor skills.

Conversation

I read about a condition called ataxia that affects movement coordination.

Oh really? What does it do exactly?

It makes it hard for people to control their muscle movements properly.

That sounds challenging; I can't imagine dealing with something like that.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Ataxia is formed from "a-" (meaning without) and "taxia" (from Greek "taxis", meaning arrangement or order). The term describes a condition characterized by a lack of coordination or order in movement.

Memory Tip

Think of 'a-' meaning without and 'taxis' meaning order — ataxia refers to a lack of order in movement.

Visually Confused Words