convulsion

[ kuhn-vuhl-shuhn ]
See synonyms for: convulsionconvulsions on Thesaurus.com

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

  2. violent agitation or disturbance; commotion.

  1. an outburst of great, uncontrollable laughter.

Origin of convulsion

1
First recorded in 1575–85, convulsion is from the Latin word convulsiōn- (stem of convulsiō). See convulse, -ion

Words Nearby convulsion

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How to use convulsion in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for convulsion

convulsion

/ (kənˈvʌlʃən) /


noun
  1. a violent involuntary contraction of a muscle or muscles

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

  1. (usually plural) informal uncontrollable laughter: I was in convulsions

Derived forms of convulsion

  • convulsionary, adjective

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

Cultural definitions for convulsion

convulsion

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.

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.