Standard Lemma guide

cataplexy

noun · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • /ˈkætəˌplɛksi/
  • Northeastern, US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

noun

Meaning 1

An abrupt loss of muscle tone, sometimes associated with narcolepsy.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: medicine, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From German Kataplexie, from Ancient Greek κατάπληξις (katáplēxis), from κατά (katá, “down”) + πλῆξῐς (plêxĭs, “blow, act of striking”).

Across languages

Translations

11 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Catalan: cataplèxia — abrupt loss of muscle tone
  • Chinese Mandarin: 猝倒 (cùdǎo) — abrupt loss of muscle tone
  • Chinese Mandarin: 昏倒 (hūndǎo) — abrupt loss of muscle tone
  • Czech: kataplexie — abrupt loss of muscle tone
  • Finnish: katapleksia — abrupt loss of muscle tone
  • German: Kataplexie — abrupt loss of muscle tone
  • Japanese: 脱力発作 (datsuryoku hossa) — abrupt loss of muscle tone
  • Japanese: 情動脱力発作 (jōdō datsuryoku hossa) — abrupt loss of muscle tone
  • Russian: катаплекси́я (katapleksíja) — abrupt loss of muscle tone
  • Spanish: cataplexia — abrupt loss of muscle tone
  • Ukrainian: катаплексія (katapleksija) — abrupt loss of muscle tone