presbyopia

noun

pres·​by·​o·​pia ˌprez-bē-ˈō-pē-ə How to pronounce presbyopia (audio)
ˌpres-
Synonyms of presbyopianext
: a visual condition which becomes apparent especially in middle age and in which loss of elasticity of the lens of the eye causes defective accommodation and inability to focus sharply for near vision
presbyopic
ˌprez-bē-ˈō-pik How to pronounce presbyopia (audio)
-ˈä-
ˌpres- How to pronounce presbyopia (audio)
adjective or noun

Examples of presbyopia 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.
In addition to glucose, the companies have been working on a smart accommodating contact lens for presbyopia (the loss of near-focusing ability) and a smart intraocular lens for improving sight following cataract surgery. — IEEE Spectrum, 29 Nov. 2018 When Readers Aren’t Enough Not all eye symptoms people experience in their 40s can be attributed to presbyopia. — Maggie O'Neill, Verywell Health, 20 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Greek presbys old man + New Latin -opia

First Known Use

1767, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of presbyopia was in 1767

Rhymes for presbyopia

See All Rhymes for presbyopia

Browse Nearby Words

presbyopia
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Presbyopia.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/presbyopia. Accessed 21 Mar. 2025.

Copy Citation

Share

Medical Definition

presbyopia

noun
pres·​by·​opia ˌprez-bē-ˈō-pē-ə How to pronounce presbyopia (audio) ˌpres- How to pronounce presbyopia (audio)
: a visual condition which becomes apparent especially in middle age and in which loss of elasticity of the lens of the eye causes defective accommodation and inability to focus sharply for near vision

More from Merriam-Webster on presbyopia

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for presbyopia

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about presbyopia

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

More Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

What do SCOTUS, POTUS, and FLOTUS mean?

Flower Etymologies For Your Spring Garden

More Words with Remarkable Origins

Terroir, Oenophile, & Magnum: Ten Words About Wine

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments
See More

Popular Features

See More

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

What do SCOTUS, POTUS, and FLOTUS mean?

Flower Etymologies For Your Spring Garden
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Word Game Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
dog-in-disguise
Rhyme Disguise Quiz Pair up words that look different but sound alike.
See All