retinitis pigmentosa

noun

retinitis pig·​men·​to·​sa -ˌpig-mən-ˈtō-sə How to pronounce retinitis pigmentosa (audio)
-(ˌ)men-, 
-zə
: any of several hereditary progressive degenerative diseases of the eye marked by night blindness in the early stages, atrophy and pigment changes in the retina, constriction of the visual field, and eventual blindness

Examples of retinitis pigmentosa in a Sentence

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At 4, she was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, a rare degenerative eye disease that leads to eventual blindness. — Laura Trujillo, USA Today, 14 Oct. 2025 Her mother suffers from a rare genetic eye condition called retinitis pigmentosa, which led to progressive vision loss and her mother’s eventual blindness. — Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 29 Nov. 2025 Researchers used two sets of subjects—one group with long-standing retinitis pigmentosa and another with normal vision who had their peripheral vision temporarily blocked. — IEEE Spectrum, 23 June 2015 She was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa — an eye disease that causes vision loss — and lupus, a disease where the immune system mistakenly attacks the body’s healthy tissues and organs instead of fighting germs, according to court records. — Chase Jordan april 10, Charlotte Observer, 10 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for retinitis pigmentosa

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, pigmented retinitis

First Known Use

1859, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of retinitis pigmentosa was in 1859

Rhymes for retinitis pigmentosa

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Browse Nearby Words

retinitis
retinitis pigmentosa
retinoblastoma
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Cite this Entry

“Retinitis pigmentosa.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/retinitis%20pigmentosa. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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Medical Definition

retinitis pigmentosa

noun
retinitis pig·​men·​to·​sa -ˌpig-mən-ˈtō-sə, -(ˌ)men-, -zə How to pronounce retinitis pigmentosa (audio)
: any of several hereditary progressive degenerative diseases of the eye marked by night blindness in the early stages, atrophy and pigment changes in the retina, constriction of the visual field, and eventual blindness
—abbreviation RP

called also pigmentary retinopathy

More from Merriam-Webster on retinitis pigmentosa

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about retinitis pigmentosa

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