a local and uncontrollable twitching of muscle fibres, esp of the heart, not affecting the entire muscle. Atrial fibrillation results in rapid and irregular heart and pulse rate. In ventricular fibrillation, the heart stops beating
2.
irregular twitchings of the muscular wall of the heart, often interfering with the normal rhythmic contractions
fibrillation in American English
(ˌfɪbrɪˈleɪʃən; ˌ faɪbrɪˈleɪʃən)
noun
a rapid, uncoordinated series of contractions of a muscle; esp., such contractions of some portion of the heart muscle, causing irregular heartbeats and sometimes ineffectual pumping of blood
Word origin
< fibril + -ation
Examples of 'fibrillation' in a sentence
fibrillation
For some a cataclysmic dislodgement, for others scarcely more than a fibrillation.
Delman, David DEATH OF A NYMPH (2003)
Any kind of ventricular fibrillation and that ECG monitor's going to go crazy.