grand mal
noun
ˈgrän(d)-ˌmäl 
ˈgräⁿ-ˌmäl,
-ˌmal;
ˈgran(d)-ˌmal 1
or grand mal epilepsy : severe epilepsy characterized by seizures in which there is an abrupt loss of consciousness with initially prolonged tonic muscle contractions followed by clonic muscle spasms
2
or grand mal seizure : a seizure marked by abrupt loss of consciousness with initially prolonged tonic muscle contractions followed by clonic muscle spasms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web Then, on the night of December 13, after a Christmas party for employees of the tunnel-construction company Bob co-owns with his three brothers, Cheryl, suffered a grand mal seizure. 
Stephanie Mansfield, Good Housekeeping, 11 Aug. 2022 First, her son, Louie, had a grand mal seizure from a high fever. Colleen Stinchcombe, SELF, 2 Dec. 2021 Going a bit deeper, tonic-clonic seizures (formerly known as a grand mal seizures), are how seizures are typically depicted in media. Patti Greco, Health.com, 18 Nov. 2021 Mitchell had epilepsy, and his grand mal seizures couldn’t be controlled with medication. Washington Post, 29 Oct. 2021 My grand mal seizure left me with two thoughts: What is life going forward? Health.com, 30 Sep. 2021 Since developing epilepsy after sustaining an injury in the military, Liana Ruppert has endured four grand mal seizures. Washington Post, 31 Dec. 2020 Game Informer Associate Editor Liana Ruppert wrote yesterday about her experience with a grand mal seizure while playing a pre-release version of the game. Kyle Orland, Ars Technica, 8 Dec. 2020 The syndrome caused Figi to have as many as 300 grand mal seizures a week, putting her in a wheelchair, barely able to speak, and undergoing repeated cardiac arrests. Audrey Mcnamara, CBS News, 9 Apr. 2020 See More
Stephanie Mansfield, Good Housekeeping, 11 Aug. 2022 First, her son, Louie, had a grand mal seizure from a high fever. Colleen Stinchcombe, SELF, 2 Dec. 2021 Going a bit deeper, tonic-clonic seizures (formerly known as a grand mal seizures), are how seizures are typically depicted in media. Patti Greco, Health.com, 18 Nov. 2021 Mitchell had epilepsy, and his grand mal seizures couldn’t be controlled with medication. Washington Post, 29 Oct. 2021 My grand mal seizure left me with two thoughts: What is life going forward? Health.com, 30 Sep. 2021 Since developing epilepsy after sustaining an injury in the military, Liana Ruppert has endured four grand mal seizures. Washington Post, 31 Dec. 2020 Game Informer Associate Editor Liana Ruppert wrote yesterday about her experience with a grand mal seizure while playing a pre-release version of the game. Kyle Orland, Ars Technica, 8 Dec. 2020 The syndrome caused Figi to have as many as 300 grand mal seizures a week, putting her in a wheelchair, barely able to speak, and undergoing repeated cardiac arrests. Audrey Mcnamara, CBS News, 9 Apr. 2020 See More Word History
Etymology
French, literally, great illness
First Known Use
1833, in the meaning defined at sense 2
Medical Definition
grand mal
noun
ˈgrän(d)-ˌmäl ˈgräⁿ-ˌmäl
ˈgräⁿ-ˌmäl -ˌmal; ˈgran(d)-ˌmal
1
or grand mal epilepsy : severe epilepsy characterized by tonic-clonic seizures : tonic-clonic epilepsy
2
or grand mal seizure : a tonic-clonic seizure
She estimates having had about 25 grand mals and 100 smaller-scale seizures since. Cicero A. Estrella, San Francisco Chronicle
Cicero A. Estrella, San Francisco Chronicle