Meaning & use
Alzheimer's
Last updated
Meanings
noununcountablemedical
A brain disease that slowly damages memory, thinking, and behavior, mostly in older people.
Grammar: Uncountable; used with 'has' or 'with': 'He has Alzheimer's.' Not 'an Alzheimer's'.
Patterns
- have Alzheimer's
- with Alzheimer's
- Alzheimer's disease
Her grandmother was diagnosed with Alzheimer's last year.
The charity raises money for research into Alzheimer's.
He cares for his wife, who has Alzheimer's.
nounpropermedical
The disease as a named condition, often in the full phrase Alzheimer's disease.
Grammar: Used before 'disease' or alone as a proper name: 'Alzheimer's disease' or simply 'Alzheimer's'.
Patterns
- Alzheimer's disease
- early-onset Alzheimer's
Alzheimer's disease affects millions of people worldwide.
Early-onset Alzheimer's can appear before age 65.
The doctor explained the stages of Alzheimer's disease.
Common combinations
- Alzheimer's disease
- Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia.
- have Alzheimer's
- Many residents in the home have Alzheimer's.
- diagnosed with Alzheimer's
- He was diagnosed with Alzheimer's at 72.
- Alzheimer's research
- Alzheimer's research receives more funding each year.
- early-stage Alzheimer's
- In early-stage Alzheimer's, memory lapses are mild.
Synonyms and how they differ
- dementia
- Dementia is a general term for many brain conditions; Alzheimer's is one specific type of dementia.
Word family
- Alzheimer proper noun
- The surname of Alois Alzheimer, the doctor who first described the disease.
Commonly confused: Alzheimer's or dementia?
Alzheimer's vs dementia
Dementia is not the same as Alzheimer's; Alzheimer's is a disease that causes dementia, but other diseases can also cause it.
Practice
Which sentence uses Alzheimer's correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Alzheimer's' is uncountable and takes no article: 'She has Alzheimer's.' 'An Alzheimer's' is wrong because the noun is not countable, and 'Alzheimers'' is a misspelling.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “Alzheimer's”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.