petit mal

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petit mal

(ˈpɛtɪ ˈmæl; French pəti mal)

(Pathology) a mild form of epilepsy characterized by periods of impairment or loss of consciousness for up to 30 seconds. Compare grand mal

[C19: French: little illness]

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

ep•i•lep•sy

(ˈɛp əˌlɛp si)

n.

a disorder of the nervous system, characterized either by mild, episodic loss of attention or sleepiness (petit mal) or by severe convulsions with loss of consciousness (grand mal).

[1570–80; < Late Latin epilēpsia < Greek epilēpsía epileptic seizure, derivative of epilambánein to get hold of, attack]

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Noun	1.	petit mal - epilepsy characterized by paroxysmal attacks of brief clouding of consciousness (and possibly other abnormalities); "she has been suffering from petit mal since childhood" epilepsia minor, petit mal epilepsy epilepsy - a disorder of the central nervous system characterized by loss of consciousness and convulsions absence seizure, absence - the occurrence of an abrupt, transient loss or impairment of consciousness (which is not subsequently remembered), sometimes with light twitching, fluttering eyelids, etc.; common in petit mal epilepsy
	2.	petit mal - a seizure of short duration characterized by momentary unconsciousness and local muscle spasms or twitching; "the girl was frightened by her first petit mal" epilepsia minor epileptic seizure - convulsions accompanied by impaired consciousness

Translations

petit mal

n (Med) → Petit Mal nt

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

pe·tit mal

n. Fr. petit mal, ataque epiléptico benigno con pérdida del conocimiento pero sin convulsiones.