myosis meaning and definition

MYOSIS noun

Definition of myosis (noun)

1. an acute infectious disease occurring in epidemic form and featuring paroxysms of pain (usually in the chest)
   • synonyms: Bornholm disease, diaphragmatic pleurisy, epidemic myalgia, epidemic pleurodynia
2. reflex contraction of the sphincter muscle of the iris in response to a bright light (or certain drugs) causing the pupil to become smaller
   • synonyms: light reflex, miosis, pupillary reflex