Origin: Latin suffix -al
Grand mal has 3 different meanings across 1 category:
epilepsy in which the attacks involve loss of consciousness and tonic spasms of the musculature followed by generalized jerking
a seizure during which the patient becomes unconscious and has convulsions over the entire body
A form of epilepsy where the seizures are characterized as severe and involve spasms and unconsciousness. A formal medical term would be tonic-clonic seizures.