chorea
UK[kɒˈrɪə]US[kɔːˈriːə]
n
a neurological disorder characterized by involuntary, irregular, and unpredictable movements of the limbs or facial muscles.
n
(in general use) any of various disorders involving rapid, jerky, involuntary movements.
Morpheme Breakdown
chore
a
chore
dance
a
noun suffix
Etymology
the word chorea has a direct and evocative origin in ancient greek. it derives from 'khoreia', meaning a choral dance, which itself comes from 'khoros', meaning a dance or a dancing ground. this connection was made in medical latin because the involuntary, jerking movements characteristic of the disorder were thought to resemble a grotesque or irregular dance. the term was solidified in medical usage to describe specific neurological conditions, such as huntington's disease and sydenham's chorea, thus transforming a term for an art form into a clinical descriptor for a pathological state.
Analysis
Structure: chore (dance) + a (noun suffix)
chore originates from greek 'khoreia', meaning dance. the suffix -a is a common latin and greek noun-forming ending.
Examples
the patient was diagnosed with sydenham's chorea following a streptococcal infection.
the involuntary movements of chorea can make daily tasks like writing or eating very difficult.
huntington's disease is a hereditary condition that often presents with progressive chorea.