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1. Epilepsy characterized by paroxysmal attacks of brief clouding of consciousness (and possibly other abnormalities)
   "she has been suffering from petit mal since childhood";
   - petit mal epilepsy, epilepsia minor
    
2. A seizure of short duration characterized by momentary unconsciousness and local muscle spasms or twitching
   "the girl was frightened by her first petit mal";
   - epilepsia minor

1. A disease caused by deficiency of niacin or tryptophan (or by a defect in the metabolic conversion of tryptophan to niacin); characterized by gastrointestinal disturbances and erythema and nervous or mental disorders; may be caused by malnutrition or alcoholism or other nutritional impairments
   - pellagra, Alpine scurvy, mal de la rosa, maidism, mayidism, Saint Ignatius' itch

1. Motion sickness experienced while travelling on water
   - seasickness, naupathia

1. Epilepsy in which the attacks involve loss of consciousness and tonic spasms of the musculature followed by generalized jerking
   - grand mal, generalized epilepsy, epilepsia major, generalised epilepsy [Brit]

1. Bad, badly

1. A seizure during which the patient becomes unconscious and has convulsions over the entire body
   - generalized seizure, epilepsia major, generalised seizure [Brit]

Type of: avitaminosis, epilepsy, epileptic seizure, hypovitaminosis, kinetosis, motion sickness

Encyclopedia: Petit mal