aneurysm

American  

[an-yuh-riz-uhm] / ˈæn yəˌrɪz əm /

Or aneurism

noun

Pathology.

1. a permanent cardiac or arterial dilatation usually caused by weakening of the vessel wall.

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aneurysm British  

/ ˈænjəˌrɪzəm /

noun

1. a sac formed by abnormal dilation of the weakened wall of a blood vessel

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aneurysm Scientific  

/ ăn′yə-rĭz′əm /

1. A localized, blood-filled dilation of a blood vessel or cardiac chamber caused by disease, such as arteriosclerosis, or weakening of the vessel or chamber wall. A ruptured aneurysm results in hemorrhage and is often fatal.

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Other Word Forms

• aneurismal adjective
• aneurismally adverb
• aneurysmal adjective
• aneurysmally adverb

Etymology

Origin of aneurysm

First recorded in 1650–60; from Greek aneúrysma “dilation,” equivalent to aneurys- (variant stem of aneurýnein “to dilate,” from an- an- ³ + eurýnein “to widen, broaden”; eury- ) + -ma, noun suffix

Example Sentences

He said he was on the sofa watching rugby and saw the players "falling off the screen", so headed to the hospital where doctors told him he had a brain aneurysm "that started to leak".

From BBC • Mar. 29, 2026

Before her aneurysm, Sharon didn’t make time for fiction.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 11, 2026

But two years after the aneurysm, Vinit was not showing any signs of cognitive improvement.

From Slate • Dec. 8, 2025

Kardashian reacted with visible shock, saying the results “explain a lot” about her stress levels as she juggles a sprawling business empire, law studies, an aneurysm recovery, and a highly public personal life.

From Salon • Nov. 29, 2025

I got into it and typed, “Can you get an aneurysm from an injury to the head?”

From "Tangerine" by Edward Bloor