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

When journalist and photographer Sheila Turner Seed died suddenly of a brain aneurysm at the age of 42 in 1978, her husband, photographer Brian Seed, was left to raise their 18-month-old daughter Rachel Elizabeth Seed alone. —Eliza Berman, Time, 26 June 2025

Brain damage associated with leaking or ruptured aneurysms may, in some cases, increase your risk of developing dementia. —Robert Glatter, Forbes.com, 20 June 2025

He was taken to a second hospital, where he was diagnosed with a mass aneurysm. —Angie Dimichele, Sun Sentinel, 17 June 2025

His mother dies after suffering an aneurysm at her own father’s funeral. —John Nogowski, Hartford Courant, 11 June 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