epilepsy
noun
ep·i·lep·sy
ˈe-pə-ˌlep-sē 
plural epilepsies
: any of various disorders marked by abnormal electrical discharges in the brain and typically manifested by sudden brief episodes of altered or diminished consciousness, involuntary movements, or convulsions
Examples of epilepsy in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Petit mal is an anachronistic term for a type of epilepsy where a patient’s flow of thought, speech or action momentarily freezes during seizures.
—
Giridhar Kalamangalam, Discover Magazine, 4 Apr. 2024
Any accumulation of arginine can cause brain damage, epilepsy, and other neurological and muscular problems.
—William A. Haseltine, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024
Lindsay Carstairs, 17, who was diagnosed with a rare form of epilepsy as an 8-year-old, went on to become an advocate and community volunteer for other children fighting illnesses, and was recognized for her efforts to turn an obstacle into an opportunity to help others.
—Linda McIntosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Mar. 2024
There are certain medications used to treat cancer, epilepsy, and ulcerative colitis that may interact with high-dose folate supplements.
—Casey Seiden, Parents, 22 Mar. 2024
Tristan is an advocate for epilepsy awareness In honor of his brother, Tristan founded The Amari Thompson Fund in 2013 to raise support for others battling epilepsy.
—Sophie Dodd, Peoplemag, 9 Dec. 2023
The researchers recruited 17 epilepsy patients and showed them flashes of dots, ranging in number from one to nine, on computer screens.
—Yasemin Saplakoglu, Quanta Magazine, 9 Nov. 2023
And Annabelle Singer, a Georgia Tech neurobiologist who serves on the company’s scientific advisory board, expects the therapy to prove beneficial against other conditions, too.
Consider treatment-resistant epilepsy.
—IEEE Spectrum, 28 Feb. 2024
For the one-third with drug-resistant epilepsy, if the seizure activity is connected to one area of the brain, as was the case with Mora, surgery may be the best option.
—Eileen Finan, Peoplemag, 3 Dec. 2023
Giridhar Kalamangalam, Discover Magazine, 4 Apr. 2024
Any accumulation of arginine can cause brain damage, epilepsy, and other neurological and muscular problems.
—William A. Haseltine, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024
Lindsay Carstairs, 17, who was diagnosed with a rare form of epilepsy as an 8-year-old, went on to become an advocate and community volunteer for other children fighting illnesses, and was recognized for her efforts to turn an obstacle into an opportunity to help others.
—Linda McIntosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Mar. 2024
There are certain medications used to treat cancer, epilepsy, and ulcerative colitis that may interact with high-dose folate supplements.
—Casey Seiden, Parents, 22 Mar. 2024
Tristan is an advocate for epilepsy awareness In honor of his brother, Tristan founded The Amari Thompson Fund in 2013 to raise support for others battling epilepsy.
—Sophie Dodd, Peoplemag, 9 Dec. 2023
The researchers recruited 17 epilepsy patients and showed them flashes of dots, ranging in number from one to nine, on computer screens.
—Yasemin Saplakoglu, Quanta Magazine, 9 Nov. 2023
And Annabelle Singer, a Georgia Tech neurobiologist who serves on the company’s scientific advisory board, expects the therapy to prove beneficial against other conditions, too.
Consider treatment-resistant epilepsy.
—IEEE Spectrum, 28 Feb. 2024
For the one-third with drug-resistant epilepsy, if the seizure activity is connected to one area of the brain, as was the case with Mora, surgery may be the best option.
—Eileen Finan, Peoplemag, 3 Dec. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'epilepsy.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Epilepsy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/epilepsy. Accessed 17 Apr. 2024.
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Kids Definition
epilepsy
noun
ep·i·lep·sy
ˈep-ə-ˌlep-sē
: a disorder marked by abnormal electrical discharges in the brain, by attacks of convulsions, and by loss of consciousness
Medical Definition
epilepsy
noun
ep·i·lep·sy
ˈep-ə-ˌlep-sē
plural epilepsies
: any of various disorders marked by abnormal electrical discharges in the brain and typically manifested by sudden brief episodes of altered or diminished consciousness, involuntary movements, or convulsions see absence epilepsy, grand mal sense 1, petit mal sense 1 focal epilepsy, jacksonian epilepsy, myoclonic epilepsy, temporal lobe epilepsy
More from Merriam-Webster on epilepsy
Nglish: Translation of epilepsy for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of epilepsy for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about epilepsy
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