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

Smoking is also a risk factor for coronary artery disease, aneurysms in the aorta (the main artery of the heart), peripheral vascular disease, and heart attacks and strokes, according to the FDA. —Shiv Sudhakar, FOXNews.com, 16 Nov. 2025

What doctors couldn’t see was that an aneurysm in one of the arteries feeding her uterus was about to rupture. —Daniella Gray, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Nov. 2025

The rupture of the aneurysm in my abdomen brought that ultimate truth about life front and center. —Frederick Dreier, Outside, 14 Nov. 2025

In a historic leap for neurovascular medicine, XCath’s EVR robotic system has successfully treated three patients with complex brain aneurysms, marking only the second time in history a surgical robot has been used in an intracranial neurovascular intervention. —Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 13 Nov. 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