grand mal

American

[gran mahl, -mal, grand, grahn mal] / ˈgræn ˈmɑl, -ˈmæl, ˈgrænd, grɑ̃ ˈmal /

noun

Pathology.

epilepsy

grand mal British

/ ɡrɒn mæl, ɡrɑ̃ mal /

noun

a form of epilepsy characterized by loss of consciousness for up to five minutes and violent convulsions Compare petit mal

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of grand mal

1875–80; < French: great ailment, epilepsy

Compare meaning

How does grand-mal compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

grand mal vs. petit mal

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Brooke Shields revealed that she had a grand mal seizure in September, just days before the debut of her cabaret show in New York City.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 1, 2023

Rosales suffers from grand mal seizures; her mother has chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

From Seattle Times • Oct. 18, 2023

At first, the neuropsychiatrist was "jarred" by the sight of a grand mal seizure.

From Salon • Sep. 4, 2023

A week later Caldwell was asleep when he suffered a grand mal or tonic-clonic seizure; his body stiffened and his arms and legs shook uncontrollably.

From Washington Post • Oct. 15, 2022

Frequent petit mal impairs the intellect more than grand mal, for convulsions calm the patient as a good cry calms hysterical people.

From Epilepsy, Hysteria, and Neurasthenia Their Causes, Symptoms, & Treatment by Briggs, Isaac George

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023