a disorder of the central nervous system characterized by loss of consciousness and convulsions
"The doctor diagnosed him with epilepsy, a neurological disorder marked by sudden loss of consciousness and violent convulsions."
A medical condition in which the sufferer experiences seizures (or convulsions) and blackouts.
"After months of struggling with epilepsy, she finally found a medication that stopped her sudden seizures and blackouts."
In plain English: Epilepsy is a condition where your brain suddenly sends out abnormal electrical signals, causing you to have seizures.
"After being diagnosed with epilepsy, he began taking medication to manage his seizures."
Usage: Epilepsy is a chronic neurological disorder characterized by recurrent, unprovoked seizures rather than occasional isolated incidents. Use this term to describe the long-term condition itself, not as a synonym for an individual seizure event.
The word epilepsy comes from the Ancient Greek epilēpsíā, which literally means "a seizing." It entered English via French and Latin in the 16th century, replacing an earlier Old English term that meant "falling sickness."