chorea

[kuh-ree-uh, kaw-, koh-] /kəˈri ə, kɔ-, koʊ-/
noun, Pathology
1.
any of several diseases of the nervous system characterized by jerky, involuntary movements, chiefly of the face and extremities.
2.
Also called St. Vitus's dance. such a disease occurring chiefly in children and associated with rheumatic fever.
3.
Veterinary Pathology. a disease of the central nervous system caused by bacterial or organic degeneration, most common in dogs following canine distemper, characterized by irregular, jerky, involuntary muscular movements.
Origin
1680-90; < Greek choreía a dance, equivalent to chor(ós) chorus + -eia -y3
Related forms
choreal, choreic, choreatic
[kawr-ee-at-ik, kohr-] /ˌkɔr iˈæt ɪk, ˌkoʊr-/ (Show IPA), adjective
choreoid
[kawr-ee-oid, kohr-] /ˈkɔr iˌɔɪd, ˈkoʊr-/ (Show IPA), adjective
Can be confused
chorea, Korea.
British Dictionary definitions for chorea

chorea

/kɒˈrɪə/
noun
1.
a disorder of the central nervous system characterized by uncontrollable irregular brief jerky movements See Huntington's disease, Sydenham's chorea
Derived Forms
choreal, choreic, adjective
Word Origin
C19: from New Latin, from Latin: dance, from Greek khoreia, from khoros dance; see chorus
Word Origin and History for chorea
n.

1806, from Modern Latin chorea Sancti Viti "St. Vitus dance" (originally a mass hysteria in 15c. Europe characterized by uncontrolled dancing); from Latin chorea "a dance," from Greek khoreia "dance" (see chorus). Extension to the nerve disorder is from 1620s.

chorea in Medicine

chorea cho·re·a (kô-rē'ə, kə-)
n.
Irregular, spasmodic, involuntary movements of the limbs or facial muscles.

cho·re'al or cho·re'ic adj.