petit mal

Noun

• a seizure of short duration characterized by momentary unconsciousness and local muscle spasms or twitching
  • the girl was frightened by her first 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
    

Related words

• Synonyms: 
  epilepsia minor , petit mal epilepsy