epileptic seizure
3
4.4
- noun
- /ˌɛpɪˈlɛptɪk ˈsiːʒər/
- Specialized
:
crisis epiléptica
- It's important to stay calm and clear the area if someone is having an epileptic seizure.
Examples
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But Error points out that during an epileptic seizure, different parts of the brain are highly synchronized, even though the patient is not conscious.
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Epileptic seizures cause fatigue and disorientation, which, in turn, affect the functional use of vision (Jan & Groenveld, 1993).
Academic text (1997) -
I thought I was having an epileptic seizure.
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A woman is having an epileptic seizure.
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My friend is having an epileptic seizure.
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- He's having an epileptic seizure.
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She was also at risk of suffering from epileptic seizures.
Academic text (2001) -
His body jerks around as if caught in the throes of an epileptic seizure.
Fiction book (1991) -
Similar images occur during near-death experiences, epileptic seizures, and hyperventilation.
Academic text (1994) -
A woman is experiencing an epileptic seizure and needs immediate help.
Synonyms
190
5.5
A sudden attack that makes the body shake or lose awareness
20
7.3
A sudden uncontrolled shaking of the body when muscles tighten
1
7.5
A short, sudden moment when a person stares blankly and does not respond, often with blinking or twitching
1
5.6
A sudden change in movement or feeling caused by unusual activity in one part of the brain
A seizure that affects the whole brain and causes loss of consciousness and violent body shaking
An intense seizure when a person loses consciousness and their whole body shakes strongly
How Severe
- Specialized
1
9.3
- Specialized
- Specialized
3
4.4
- Specialized
1
7.5
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase is compositional: 'epileptic' (relating to epilepsy) qualifies 'seizure' (a sudden episode of abnormal brain activity), so the overall meaning — a seizure caused by or associated with epilepsy — is directly derivable from the parts. This medical construction is transparent and parallels equivalent forms in many languages, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents should understand it.
Etymology
Epileptic seizure comes from the old idea of being suddenly 'seized' by the illness: the word seizure once meant a sudden 'attack' that grabs the body, and epileptic points to epilepsy, the condition that causes these attacks. So the name describes the sudden loss of control and change in awareness people have during an 'epileptic seizure'.