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petit mal

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pe⋅tit mal

  [pet-ee mahl, mal; Fr. puh-tee mal]
Use petit mal in a Sentence
–noun Pathology.
See under epilepsy.
Origin:
1870–75; < F: lit., small illness
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ep⋅i⋅lep⋅sy

  [ep-uh-lep-see]
–noun Pathology.
a disorder of the nervous system, characterized either by mild, episodic loss of attention or sleepiness (petit mal) or by severe convulsions with loss of consciousness (grand mal).
Origin:
1570–80; < LL epilēpsia < Gk epilēpsía epileptic seizure, equiv. to epílēpt(os) suffering from epilepsy (verbid of epilambánein to get hold of, attack; epi- epi- + lambánein to seize) + -ia -y 3 , with ti > si
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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pet·it mal   (pět'ē mäl', māl')   
n.  A form of epilepsy, occurring most often in adolescents and children, characterized by frequent but transient lapses of consciousness and only rare spasms or falling.

[French : petit, small + mal, illness.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Cultural Dictionary

epilepsy [(ep-uh-lep-see)]

A disorder of the brain characterized by sudden, recurring attacks of abnormal brain function, often resulting in convulsions or seizures. The seizures associated with epilepsy can sometimes be controlled by medication.

The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

epilepsy 
1578, from M.Fr. epilepsie, from L.L. epilepsia, from Gk. epilepsia "seizure," from epi- "upon" + lepsis "seizure," from leps-, future stem of lambanein "take hold of, grasp" (see analemma). Replaced the native name, falling sickness.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: ep·i·lep·sy
Pronunciation: 'ep-&-"lep-sE
Function: noun
Inflected Form: plural -sies
: any ofvarious disorders marked by disturbed electrical rhythms of the central nervous system and typically manifested by convulsive attacks usually with clouding of consciousness called also fallingsickness; —see GRAND MAL, PETIT MAL; JACKSONIAN EPILEPSY

Main Entry: pe·tit mal
Pronunciation: 'pet-E-"mal, -"mäl
Function: noun
: epilepsy caused by a usually inherited dysrhythmia of the electricalpulsations of the brain and characterized by attacks of mild convulsive seizures with transient clouding of consciousness without amnesia and with or without slight movements of the head, eyes, orextremities —compare GRAND MAL
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Medical Dictionary

epilepsy ep·i·lep·sy (ěp'ə-lěp'sē)
n.
Any of various neurological disorders characterized by sudden, recurring attacks of motor, sensory, or psychic malfunction with or without loss of consciousness or convulsive seizures.

petit mal pet·it mal (pět'ē mäl', māl')
n.
A form of epilepsy, occurring most often in adolescents and children, characterized by frequent but transient lapses of consciousness and only rare spasms or falling. Also called absence, petit mal epilepsy.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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Science Dictionary
epilepsy   (ěp'ə-lěp'sē)  Pronunciation Key 
Any of various neurological disorders characterized by recurrent seizures. Epilepsy is caused by abnormal electrical activity in the brain.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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