Definition

A serious infectious disease that affects the nervous system and can cause paralysis, especially in children.

Example

Vaccination has greatly reduced the incidence of polio around the world.

Conversation

Did you know that polio was a major health issue in the past?

Yeah, I read about it; it's shocking how many people were affected.

I can't imagine living in a time when polio was so widespread.

It's great that vaccines have helped eliminate it in many places.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Polio is derived from the Greek word "polios" (meaning gray), which refers to the gray matter of the spinal cord that is affected by the disease. The term is short for "poliomyelitis," where "myelos" means marrow or spinal cord, and "itis" indicates inflammation. Thus, polio refers to the inflammation of the gray matter of the spinal cord.

Memory Tip

Think of the Greek word for gray ('polios') to remember that polio affects the gray matter of the spinal cord.

Visually Confused Words