chorea

1 of 2

noun (1)

cho·​rea kə-ˈrē-ə How to pronounce chorea (audio)
: a movement disorder marked by involuntary spasmodic movements especially of the limbs and facial muscles and typically symptomatic of neurological dysfunction (such as that associated with a neurodegenerative disease or metabolic disturbance) see huntington's disease
choreic
kə-ˈrē-ik How to pronounce chorea (audio)
adjective

choree

2 of 2

noun (2)

cho·​ree
ˈkōrˌē, 
kəˈrē
plural -s
: choreus
choreic
kəˈrēik How to pronounce choree (audio)
adjective

Examples of chorea in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
And the youngest had tics and movements so extreme that doctors diagnosed him with Sydenham chorea. — Pamela Weintraub, Discover Magazine, 3 Jan. 2019 Medical concerns facing the midwives will include everything from breech birth to cancer, Huntington's chorea, and cataracts. — Caroline Hallemann, Town & Country, 12 Mar. 2018 Doctors can offer patients medications to treat their symptoms, such as reducing chorea (involuntary, unpredictable muscle movements) and depression. — Allison Parshall, Scientific American, 30 Sep. 2025 Some people with antiphospholipid syndrome—a condition associated with the formation of blood clots—can experience chorea (involuntary muscle movements) or acute changes in cognition (one of my patients was diagnosed after becoming markedly confused). — The New Yorker, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2025 Key Takeaways The medications approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for treating Huntington’s disease chorea are Xenazine (tetrabenazine), Ingrezza (velbenazine) and Austedo (deuterabenazine). — Heidi Moawad, Verywell Health, 19 Jan. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

New Latin, from Latin, dance, from Greek choreia, from choros chorus

Noun (2)

French chorée, from Latin choreus, from Greek choreios, from choreios, adjective, of a dance, of a chorus, from choros dancing area, dance, chorus

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1804, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of chorea was in 1804

Phrases Containing chorea

Rhymes for chorea

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Browse Nearby Words

chore
chorea
chore boy
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Cite this Entry

“Chorea.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chorea. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Medical Definition

chorea

noun
cho·​rea kə-ˈrē-ə How to pronounce chorea (audio)
: a movement disorder marked by involuntary spasmodic movements especially of the limbs and facial muscles and typically symptomatic of neurological dysfunction (as that associated with a neurodegenerative disease or metabolic disturbance) see huntington's disease, sydenham's chorea
choreatic
ˌkōr-ē-ˈat-ik, ˌkȯr- How to pronounce chorea (audio)
adjective
choreic
kə-ˈrē-ik How to pronounce chorea (audio)
adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on chorea

Nglish: Translation of chorea for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about chorea

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