epilepsy

noun

ep·​i·​lep·​sy ˈe-pə-ˌlep-sē 

plural epilepsies

: any of various disorders marked by abnormal electrical discharges in the brain and typically manifested by sudden brief episodes of altered or diminished consciousness, involuntary movements, or convulsions

Examples of epilepsy in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

And their daughter, Nova, 11, was diagnosed with epilepsy in 2020, the same year the former couple separated. —Grace Bastidas, Parents, 14 Apr. 2025

Her story offers hope for those struggling with drug-resistant epilepsy and other neurological conditions. —Kurt Knutsson, Cyberguy Report, FOXNews.com, 11 Apr. 2025

Two of them are on the autism spectrum, and our third has epilepsy. —Rebecca Morin, USA Today, 4 Apr. 2025

That left students — including a 12-year-old boy with autism and epilepsy who’s been unwillingly assigned to remote schooling — without recourse and, in some cases, losing precious weeks of learning. —Anna North, Vox, 4 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English epilencie, from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French epelempsie, modification of Late Latin epilepsia, from Greek epilēpsia, from epilambanein to seize, from epi- + lambanein to take, seize — more at latch

First Known Use

1543, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing epilepsy

• anti-epilepsy
• grand mal epilepsy

Rhymes for epilepsy

• catalepsy
• narcolepsy

Kids Definition

epilepsy

noun

ep·​i·​lep·​sy ˈep-ə-ˌlep-sē 

: a disorder marked by abnormal electrical discharges in the brain, by attacks of convulsions, and by loss of consciousness

Medical Definition

epilepsy

noun

ep·​i·​lep·​sy ˈep-ə-ˌlep-sē 

plural epilepsies

: any of various disorders marked by abnormal electrical discharges in the brain and typically manifested by sudden brief episodes of altered or diminished consciousness, involuntary movements, or convulsions see absence epilepsy, grand mal sense 1, petit mal sense 1 focal epilepsy, jacksonian epilepsy, myoclonic epilepsy, temporal lobe epilepsy