# palsy

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈpɔːlzi/ · frequency rank #22,462

## Definitions
1. Complete or partial muscle paralysis of a body part, often accompanied by a loss of feeling and uncontrolled body movements such as shaking.

## Etymology
From Middle English palesie, from Anglo-Norman paralisie, parleisie et al., from Latin paralysis, from Ancient Greek παράλυσις (parálusis, “palsy”), from παραλύω (paralúō, “to disable on one side”), from παρα- (para-, “beside”) + λύω (lúō, “loosen”). Doublet of paralysis.

## Easily confused with
- **pay** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/palsy-vs-pay)
- **pas** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/palsy-vs-pas)
- **ply** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/palsy-vs-ply)
- **play** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/palsy-vs-play)
- **past** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/palsy-vs-past)
- **pass** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/palsy-vs-pass)
- **pays** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/palsy-vs-pays)
- **pans** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/palsy-vs-pans)
- **paws** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/palsy-vs-paws)
- **pats** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/palsy-vs-pats)
- **ploy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/palsy-vs-ploy)
- **pars** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/palsy-vs-pars)
- **party** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/palsy-vs-party)
- **pussy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/palsy-vs-pussy)
- **pulse** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/palsy-vs-pulse)
- **pause** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/palsy-vs-pause)
- **Patty** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/palsy-vs-patty)
- **parry** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/palsy-vs-parry)
- **Polly** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/palsy-vs-polly)
- **Patsy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/palsy-vs-patsy)

## Common misspellings (6)
`aplsy`, `pallsy`, `palssy`, `palsyy`, `pasly`, `ppalsy`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/palsy