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

Now at age 3, Mason has been diagnosed with epilepsy — along with chromosome abnormality, anemia, developmental delay, and hypotonia, or low muscle tone. —Alexandra Phelps, Miami Herald, 24 Nov. 2025

The Epilepsy Foundation is a non-profit organization that seeks to improve the lives of people with epilepsy through education, advocacy, research, and connection. —Alyssa Hardy, Vogue, 24 Nov. 2025

Regulating it, there’s tax dollars, and there’s also a lot of good research out there that shows the medical benefits of cannabis [for treating] epilepsy, pain, anxiety. —Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 21 Nov. 2025

The new study has now revealed epilepsy cases among adults aged 65 and older were significantly higher in parts of the South—including Louisiana, Mississippi, East Texas and central Oklahoma—compared to other regions. —Hannah Millington, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Nov. 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