tonic-clonic
adjective
ton·ic-clon·ic
ˈtän-i(k)-ˈklä-nik 
: relating to, marked by, or being a seizure that affects both cerebral hemispheres and is characterized by the abrupt loss of consciousness with initially tonic muscle contractions followed by clonic muscle spasms
During a generalized tonic-clonic seizure, also known as a grand mal seizure, the person might have a vocal outburst, stiffen and fall to the ground.—
Jen Waters, The Washington Times
Jen Waters, The Washington TimesMost often, though, they [seizures] fall in a well-documented spectrum of mental and somatic anomalies, from the transient episodes of decreased awareness known as absence (formerly called "petit mal") to the tonic-clonic (or "grand mal") attack characterized by loss of consciousness, collapse and spasmodic stiffening and jerking.—Jerry Adler and Eliza Gray, Newsweek
Jerry Adler and Eliza Gray, NewsweekDictionary Entries Near tonic-clonic
Cite this Entry
“Tonic-clonic.” Merriam-Webster.com Medical Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/medical/tonic-clonic. Accessed 29 Nov. 2024.
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