palsy (n.)

c. 1300, palesie, "weakness, numbness, paralysis, loss of ability to speak, failure of a part of the body to function properly," from Anglo-French parlesie, Old French paralisie, from Vulgar Latin *paralysia, from Latin paralysis, from Greek paralysis "paralysis, palsy," literally "loosening," from paralyein "disable, enfeeble," from para- "beside" (see para- (1)) + lyein "loosen, untie" (from PIE root *leu- "to loosen, divide, cut apart"). A doublet of paralysis.