aneurysm

noun

an·​eu·​rysm ˈan-yə-ˌri-zəm 

variants or less commonly aneurism

: an abnormal blood-filled bulge of a blood vessel and especially an artery resulting from weakening (as from disease) of the vessel wall

aneurysmal

ˌan-yə-ˈriz-məl 

adjective

Examples of aneurysm in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Taylor learned Nancy died because of a ruptured brain aneurysm on Christmas Day, three days before the transplant surgery. —CBS News, 12 Dec. 2025

The scans are often used to check for aneurysms of cerebral vessels, conditions of the eye and inner ear, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord conditions, stroke, tumors and brain injury from trauma. —Robert Birsel, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Dec. 2025

Garcia had been suffering from a brain aneurysm and stroke earlier this year. —Bethy Squires, Vulture, 10 Dec. 2025

According to the Brain Aneurysm Foundation, about 1 out of every 50 people has an unruptured brain aneurysm. —Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 5 Dec. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Greek aneurysma, from aneurynein to dilate, from ana- + eurynein to stretch, from eurys wide — more at eury-

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for aneurysm

• alyssum
• cataclysm

Medical Definition

aneurysm

noun

an·​eu·​rysm

variants also aneurism

ˈan-yə-ˌriz-əm 

: an abnormal blood-filled dilatation of a blood vessel and especially an artery resulting from disease of the vessel wall

aneurysmal adjective

also aneurismal

ˌan-yə-ˈriz-məl 

aneurysmally

-ē 

adverb