Parkinson’s Disease
/ˈpɑːr.kɪn.sənz dɪˈziːz/noun
A progressive neurological disorder commonly involving tremor, slowed movement, muscle rigidity, and other motor and nonmotor symptoms.
Did you know?Before it was called Parkinson’s disease, James Parkinson described it as “the shaking palsy,” while the modern eponym honors the English surgeon who first documented it systematically.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*per-
“A reconstructed root associated with passing through or moving forward; it contributed to several later Indo-European forms related to passage and crossing.”
Ancient Greek
Greek
petra
“Rock or stone; this became the source of the personal name Peter.”
Biblical and Medieval Latin
Latin
Petrus
“Peter, literally associated with a rock or stone.”
Middle English
English
Perkin / Parkin
“A diminutive form of Peter, used as a personal name and later as a surname element.”
Medieval English
English
Parkinson
““Son of Parkin,” a patronymic surname meaning the son or descendant of someone called Parkin.”
1817
English
shaking palsy
“James Parkinson’s original description, published in An Essay on the Shaking Palsy.”
Modern English
English
Parkinson’s disease
“The established medical eponym for the neurological disorder described by Parkinson.”