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Medicine vocabulary · Symptoms and Signs

Seizure

Meaning in medicine, with examples

/ˈsiːʒər/nounCommon term

In medicine, seizure means: A sudden burst of abnormal electrical activity in the brain that can cause shaking, stiffness, staring or loss of consciousness.

In Turkish: nöbet, konvülziyon, havale

How it is used

Doctors ask witnesses what happened before, during and after: tongue biting, incontinence, how long it lasted and how long the patient stayed drowsy. Types include focal and generalised (tonic-clonic) seizures. 'Fit' is an older, informal word.

Example sentences

  1. Her husband says she had a seizure lasting about two minutes and then seemed confused.

  2. Febrile seizures are fairly common in young children and are usually harmless.

Common collocations

  • have a seizure
  • febrile seizure
  • tonic-clonic seizure
  • seizure activity
  • first seizure
  • epilepsyA brain condition in which a person tends to have repeated seizures that are not caused by an obvious trigger such as fever or low blood sugar.
  • confusionA state in which a person cannot think clearly, is disoriented in time or place, or cannot follow what is happening around them.
  • red flagA symptom or sign that suggests a serious cause, such as cancer or a spinal problem, and needs urgent attention or tests.
  • MRIShort for magnetic resonance imaging: a scan that uses a strong magnet and radio waves to make detailed pictures, especially of the brain, spine, joints and soft tissues.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

More terms: Symptoms and Signs

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not medical advice.