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convulsion

American  
[kuhn-vuhl-shuhn] / kənˈvʌl ʃən /

noun

  1. contortion of the body caused by violent, involuntary muscular contractions of the extremities, trunk, and head.

  2. violent agitation or disturbance; commotion.

  3. an outburst of great, uncontrollable laughter.

convulsion British  
/ kənˈvʌlʃən /

noun

  1. a violent involuntary contraction of a muscle or muscles

  2. a violent upheaval, disturbance, or agitation, esp a social one

  3. informal (usually plural) uncontrollable laughter

    I was in convulsions
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
convulsion Cultural  

  1. A severe, often violent involuntary contraction of the muscles. Convulsions may be caused by high fevers or poisoning and often accompany such diseases such as epilepsy.

Other Word Forms

  • convulsionary adjective

Etymology

Origin of convulsion

First recorded in 1575–85, convulsion is from the Latin word convulsiōn- (stem of convulsiō ). See convulse, -ion

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The remaining two recordings were triggered by sound or motion, but only one suggested that a muscle convulsion, a sign of seizure, had occurred.

From Science Daily • Jan. 4, 2024

In the middle of this convulsion, Ms. de Bonafini’s life was turned upside down.

From New York Times • Nov. 22, 2022

A convulsion has shaken America and many other Western democracies over the past few years.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 13, 2022

Ronaldo, it later emerged, had suffered from a convulsion earlier in the day.

From BBC • Oct. 17, 2022

Around us, men slept upon the ground, or with subtle convulsion, approached the small fires.

From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume II: The Kingdom on the Waves" by M.T. Anderson

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.