Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun Any of various neurological disorders marked by sudden recurring attacks of motor, sensory, or cognitive dysfunction, with or without convulsive seizures or loss of consciousness.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun A disease of the brain characterized by recurrent attacks of loss of consciousness with severe muscular spasm (major attack), or
  • noun loss of consciousness attended with little or no muscular disturbance, or, rarely, slight muscular spasm without loss of consciousness (minor attack).

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

  • noun (Med.) The “falling sickness,” so called because the patient falls suddenly to the ground; a disease characterized by paroxysms (or fits) occurring at interval and attended by sudden loss of consciousness, and convulsive motions of the muscles.

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

  • noun pathology A medical condition in which the sufferer experiences seizures (or convulsions) and blackouts.

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

  • noun a disorder of the central nervous system characterized by loss of consciousness and convulsions

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[French épilepsie, from Latin epilēpsia, from Greek epilēpsis, from epilambanein, epilēp-, to lay hold of : epi-, epi- + lambanein, to seize.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

Since 16th century; from Old French epilepsie, from Latin epilēpsia, from Ancient Greek ἐπιληψία (epilēpsia), from ἐπιλαμβάνω (epilambanō, "I seize"), from ἐπί (epi, "upon") + λαμβάνω (lambanō, "I take").

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Examples

  • The term epilepsy (pronounced as eh-puh-lep-see) originates from a Greek word 'epilepsia' meaning 'falling sickness' It is an illness that affects the brain, causing repeated seizures or 'fits' in the patient which make them to fall.

    Medindia Health News 2009

  • Dr. under told me one time that all forms of'seizures is a form of epilepsy, but they don't like the term epilepsy anymore. "

    Cruel Deception Olsen, Gregg 1995

  • The region is also thought to be involved in epilepsy - which Tammet also suffered from as a child - and this could indicate that the three conditions may share some underlying genetic or neurological mechanisms.

    Archive 2009-02-01 Heather McDougal 2009

  • Specific interests in epilepsy including pre - and post-surgical evaluations; sickle cell disease; long-term outcome of children with congenital heart defects and pediatric stroke.

    Postdoctoral Program 2010

  • By some estimates, the mortality rate for people with epilepsy is two to three times higher — and the risk of sudden death is 24 times greater — than that of the general population.

    Odin's Day jimhines 2009

  • The region is also thought to be involved in epilepsy - which Tammet also suffered from as a child - and this could indicate that the three conditions may share some underlying genetic or neurological mechanisms.

    I Love New Scientist (fan post) Heather McDougal 2009

  • Medically refractory epilepsy is among many devastating illnesses where surgical resection can be highly beneficial, if not curative.

    Magnetoencephalography 2010

  • The evaluation of any child for epilepsy surgery requires a team approach, with input from specialists in epilepsy, EEG, neuroradiology, neuropsychology, and neurosurgery — and, of course, ongoing input from patients and families.

    Pediatric Regional Epilepsy Program Services 2010

  • The evaluation of any child for epilepsy surgery requires a team approach, with input from specialists in epilepsy, EEG, neuroradiology, neuropsychology, and neurosurgery — and, of course, ongoing input from patients and families.

    Pediatric Regional Epilepsy Program Services 2010

  • “They could provide a platform for a range of devices with applications in epilepsy, spinal cord injuries and other neurological disorders.”

    New Tiny Silk Brain Implants | Impact Lab 2010

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