aneurysm

American  

[an-yuh-riz-uhm] / ˈæn yəˌrɪz əm /

Or aneurism

noun

Pathology.

1. a permanent cardiac or arterial dilatation usually caused by weakening of the vessel wall.

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aneurysm British  

/ ˈænjəˌrɪzəm /

noun

1. a sac formed by abnormal dilation of the weakened wall of a blood vessel

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aneurysm Scientific  

/ ăn′yə-rĭz′əm /

1. A localized, blood-filled dilation of a blood vessel or cardiac chamber caused by disease, such as arteriosclerosis, or weakening of the vessel or chamber wall. A ruptured aneurysm results in hemorrhage and is often fatal.

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Other Word Forms

• aneurismal adjective
• aneurismally adverb
• aneurysmal adjective
• aneurysmally adverb

Etymology

Origin of aneurysm

First recorded in 1650–60; from Greek aneúrysma “dilation,” equivalent to aneurys- (variant stem of aneurýnein “to dilate,” from an- an- ³ + eurýnein “to widen, broaden”; eury- ) + -ma, noun suffix

Example Sentences

Kardashian reacted with visible shock, saying the results “explain a lot” about her stress levels as she juggles a sprawling business empire, law studies, an aneurysm recovery, and a highly public personal life.

From Salon

While they can issue false positives, she says, they occasionally reveal lifesaving findings like an aneurysm in one of her patients, which needed treating.

From Barron's

“I don’t get headaches. I thought I was having an aneurysm.”

From Literature

An ambulance rushed him to the hospital, where he was declared brain-dead because of an aneurysm.

From The Wall Street Journal

Half an hour later, Mackie had died — vets and a family physician told Simms that she “likely” suffered from a brain aneurysm.

From Los Angeles Times