English Explanatory Dictionary

petit mal

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. 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.

Pronunciation

/ˌpɛti ˈmal/

Word forms

petit mal

Etymology

Borrowed from French petit mal (literally “little illness”).

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