Definition

A condition where there is a lack of muscle tone, resulting in weakness or floppiness of the muscles.

Example

The patient was diagnosed with atonia, which affected their ability to move normally.

Conversation

I read an article about atonia and how it affects sleep.

Really? I’ve never heard of that before.

Yeah, it said that atonia is a lack of muscle tone during REM sleep.

That sounds interesting! I wonder how it impacts dreams.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Atonia → It is formed from "a-" (meaning without) and "tonus" (from Greek "tonos", meaning tension or tone). The word "atonia" refers to a state of being without tension or tone, often used in a medical context to describe a lack of muscle tone.

Memory Tip

Think of being 'without' ('a-') 'tension' ('tonus') — that's why atonia means a lack of muscle tone.

Visually Confused Words