paraplegic
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
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.
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- Wheelchair-bound: An outdated and often discouraged term; "wheelchair user" is generally preferred.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
- suffering complete paralysis of the lower half of the body usually resulting from damage to the spinal cord
Noun
- a person who has paraplegia (is paralyzed from the waist down)