cerebral palsy

noun

: a disability resulting from damage to the brain before, during, or shortly after birth and outwardly manifested by muscular incoordination and speech disturbances

cerebral-palsied

sə-ˈrē-brəl-ˈpȯl-zēd 

ˈser-ə-, 

ˈse-rə-

adjective

Examples of cerebral palsy in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Mitte was diagnosed with cerebral palsy at the age of 3 and, as an adult, served as an ambassador for United Cerebral Palsy and Shriners Children’s. — Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 12 Oct. 2026

One of his two older sisters, who has cerebral palsy, suffered a fresh round of taunts in each new neighborhood. — E. Tammy Kim, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026

The youth, who already had a daily schedule of exercise and speech therapy to lessen the effect of cerebral palsy, started taking acting classes. — Greg Braxton, Los Angeles Times, 12 Oct. 2026

The coming-of-age drama, based on Coffey’s life, follows a high school student with mild cerebral palsy trying to wrestle for the school’s scholastic wrestling team. — Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 12 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1824, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

cerebral palsy

noun

: a disease resulting from damage to the brain usually before or during birth and resulting in imperfect control of muscles, paralysis, and speech disturbances

Medical Definition

cerebral palsy

noun

: a disability resulting from damage to the brain before, during, or shortly after birth and outwardly manifested by muscular incoordination and speech disturbances see ataxic cerebral palsy, athetoid cerebral palsy, spastic cerebral palsy

cerebral palsied adjective