epilepsy

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun

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

Pronunciation

/ˈɛpɪlɛpsi/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-epilepsy.wav /ˈɛpɪˌlɛpsi/ /ˈɛpəˌlɛpsi/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Wodencafe-epilepsy.wav /ˈepəlepsi/ /ˈɛpɪlɛpse/ /-sɪ/ /-si/

Word forms

epilepsy epilepsies

Etymology

Since 16th century; borrowed from French épilepsie, from Latin epilēpsia, from Ancient Greek ἐπιληψίᾱ (epilēpsíā), from ἐπιλαμβάνω (epilambánō, “to seize”), from ἐπι- (epi-, “upon”) + λαμβάνω (lambánō, “to take”). Displaced native Old English fiellesēocnes (literally “falling sickness”).

Related words

Derived words

antiepilepsy antiepileptic epileptic epileptiform hysteroepilepsy migralepsy northern epilepsy syndrome oligoepilepsy severe myoclonic epilepsy of infancy

This entry uses open data from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA/GFDL). Word forms are used for search and are not indexed as separate pages.

Back to search All on E Russian dictionary Dahl dictionary