grand mal

noun

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\ ˈgrän(d)-ˌmäl

, ˈgräⁿ-ˌmäl, -ˌmal; ˈgran(d)-ˌmal

Definition of grand mal

1 or grand mal epilepsy : severe epilepsy characterized by seizures in which there is an abrupt loss of consciousness with initially prolonged tonic muscle contractions followed by clonic muscle spasms

2 or grand mal seizure : a seizure marked by abrupt loss of consciousness with initially prolonged tonic muscle contractions followed by clonic muscle spasms

Examples of grand mal in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Then, on the night of December 13, after a Christmas party for employees of the tunnel-construction company Bob co-owns with his three brothers, Cheryl, suffered a grand mal seizure. — Stephanie Mansfield, Good Housekeeping, 11 Aug. 2022 First, her son, Louie, had a grand mal seizure from a high fever. — Colleen Stinchcombe, SELF, 2 Dec. 2021 Going a bit deeper, tonic-clonic seizures (formerly known as a grand mal seizures), are how seizures are typically depicted in media. — Patti Greco, Health.com, 18 Nov. 2021 Mitchell had epilepsy, and his grand mal seizures couldn’t be controlled with medication. — Washington Post, 29 Oct. 2021 My grand mal seizure left me with two thoughts: What is life going forward? — Health.com, 30 Sep. 2021 Since developing epilepsy after sustaining an injury in the military, Liana Ruppert has endured four grand mal seizures. — Washington Post, 31 Dec. 2020 Game Informer Associate Editor Liana Ruppert wrote yesterday about her experience with a grand mal seizure while playing a pre-release version of the game. — Kyle Orland, Ars Technica, 8 Dec. 2020 The syndrome caused Figi to have as many as 300 grand mal seizures a week, putting her in a wheelchair, barely able to speak, and undergoing repeated cardiac arrests. — Audrey Mcnamara, CBS News, 9 Apr. 2020 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'grand mal.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

16 Aug 2022

Cite this Entry

“Grand mal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/grand%20mal. Accessed 16 Aug. 2022.

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More Definitions for grand mal

grand mal

noun

\ ˈgrän(d)-ˌmäl

, ˈgräⁿ-ˌmäl

, -ˌmal; ˈgran(d)-ˌmal \

Medical Definition of grand mal

1 or grand mal epilepsy : severe epilepsy characterized by tonic-clonic seizures : tonic-clonic epilepsy

2 or grand mal seizure : a tonic-clonic seizure She estimates having had about 25 grand mals and 100 smaller-scale seizures since.— Cicero A. Estrella, San Francisco Chronicle