failure of the cardiac sphincter of the oesophagus to relax, resulting in difficulty in swallowing
Word origin
New Latin, from a-1 + Greek chalasis relaxation
achalasia in American English
(ˌækəˈleiʒə, -ʒiə, -ziə)
noun
Medicine
inability of a circular muscle, esp. of the esophagus or rectum, to relax, resulting in widening of the structure above the muscular constriction
Word origin
[1910–15; a-6 + Gk chálas(is) (chala- (s. of chalân to loosen) + -sis-sis) + -ia]This word is first recorded in the period 1910–15. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: flashback, functionalism, homeroom, insulin, spotlight-ia is a noun suffix having restricted application in various fields, as in names ofdiseases (malaria; anemia), place names (Italia; Romania), names of Roman feasts (Lupercalia), Latin or Latinizing plurals (Amphibia; insignia; Reptilia), and in other loanwords from Latin (militia)
Examples of 'achalasia' in a sentence
achalasia
I have small intestinal bacterial overgrowth and achalasia with resulting severe weight loss.
The Sun (2018)
One rare cause is a condition called 'achalasia', which tightens the muscle at the of the gullet.