Petit Mal (Noun)
Meaning 1
A seizure of short duration characterized by momentary unconsciousness and local muscle spasms or twitching; "the girl was frightened by her first petit mal".
Classification
Nouns denoting natural processes.
Synonyms
Meaning 2
Epilepsy characterized by paroxysmal attacks of brief clouding of consciousness (and possibly other abnormalities); "she has been suffering from petit mal since childhood".
Classification
Nouns denoting natural processes.
Examples
- The doctor explained that the child's petit mal seizures were a common type of epilepsy that could be managed with medication.
- After a series of tests, the neurologist diagnosed the patient with petit mal, a condition that had been affecting her for years.
- The teacher was trained to recognize the signs of petit mal in her students, including brief staring spells and loss of responsiveness.
- The patient's petit mal seizures were so mild that she often didn't even realize she was having one.
- The new medication was designed to reduce the frequency and severity of petit mal seizures in children.