n.
Pronunciation: ˌ rab-d ō -m ī - ' ä-l ə -s ə s
Function: noun
Etymology: New Latin, from rhabdo- + my- + -lysis
Date: 1956
: the destruction or degeneration of muscle tissue (as from traumatic injury, excessive exertion, or stroke) accompanied by the release of breakdown products into the bloodstream and sometimes leading to acute renal failure