petit mal

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

• (Med.) The mildest form of epilepsy, with momentary faintness or unconsciousness, but without convulsions; -- opposed to grand mal.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

• noun A form of epilepsy where the seizures are characterized as minor, the person becomes vacant or unaware, but not involving spasms and unconsciousness. These seizures are usually brief, lasting up to 30 seconds, and may include twitching. A formal medical term would be absence seizures.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

• noun a seizure of short duration characterized by momentary unconsciousness and local muscle spasms or twitching
• noun epilepsy characterized by paroxysmal attacks of brief clouding of consciousness (and possibly other abnormalities)