Definition

1. Adjective:

   • Describes a medical condition of complete paralysis affecting the lower half of the body, typically caused by injury or disease of the spinal cord.

2. Noun:

   • A person who has paraplegia; an individual who is paralyzed from the waist down.

Usage

• The word is used as both a descriptive term for the condition and a term for a person with that condition. When referring to a person, it is considered a neutral, clinical term. Modern usage often prefers person-first language (e.g., "a person with paraplegia") in many contexts, though "paraplegic" as a noun remains standard in medical and general use.

Examples

• Adjective:
  • The accident left him paraplegic.
  • She requires a wheelchair due to her paraplegic condition.
• Noun:
  • The building's new ramp provides access for paraplegics.
  • He is a paraplegic who competes in adaptive sports.

Advanced Usage

• The term specifies paralysis of the lower limbs and trunk, distinguishing it from quadriplegia/tetraplegia (paralysis of all four limbs) and hemiplegia (paralysis of one side of the body).
• In legal and medical contexts, the degree of impairment (e.g., complete vs. incomplete paraplegia) is often specified.

Variants and Related Words

• Paraplegia (n): The condition of being paralyzed from the waist down.
  • Paraplegia often results from a spinal cord injury.

Synonyms

• Adjective: paralyzed (from the waist down), wheelchair-using (descriptive, not a direct medical synonym).
• Noun: person with paraplegia, wheelchair user (context-dependent).

Related Phrases

• Spinal cord injury: A common cause of paraplegia.
• Wheelchair-bound: An outdated and often discouraged term; "wheelchair user" is generally preferred.
• Adaptive equipment: Devices, such as specialized wheelchairs, used by paraplegics.

Adjective

1. suffering complete paralysis of the lower half of the body usually resulting from damage to the spinal cord

Noun

1. a person who has paraplegia (is paralyzed from the waist down)