epilepsy
UK /ˈɛpɪlɛpsi/ · US /ˈɛpɪˌlɛpsi/ noun
Forms epilepsies
- noun (pathology) A medical condition in which the sufferer experiences seizures (or convulsions) and blackouts.
Etymology
Since 16th century; borrowed from French épilepsie, from Latin epilēpsia, from Ancient Greek ἐπιληψίᾱ (epilēpsíā), from ἐπιλαμβάνω (epilambánō, “to seize”), from ἐπι- (epi-, “upon”) + λαμβάνω (lambánō, “to take”). Displaced native Old English fiellesēocnes (literally “falling sickness”).
Webster’s 1913
- noun The "falling sickness," so called because the patient falls suddenly to the ground; a disease characterized by paroxysms (or fits) occurring at interval and attended by sudden loss of consciousness, and convulsive motions of the muscles. Dunglison.
Etymology [L. epilepsia, Gr. épilepsie. Cf. Catalepsy.]
Sources: Wiktionary · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “epilepsy”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details