apoplexy

English

Etymology

Old English poplexye, Late Latin poplexia, apoplexia, from Ancient Greek ἀποπληξία (apoplēxía), from ἀποπλήσσειν (apoplḗssein) to cripple by a stroke; ἀπό (apó, “from”) + πλήσσειν (plḗssein, “to strike”): compare with French apoplexie. See plague.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ˈæp.əˌplɛk.si/
Audio (US) (file)

Noun

apoplexy (usually uncountable, plural apoplexies)

(medicine) Bleeding within internal organs and the accompanying symptoms.
(medicine) Sudden diminution or loss of consciousness, sensation, and voluntary motion, usually caused by pressure on the brain.
(colloquial) Great anger and excitement.

Usage notes

The term is now usually limited to cerebral apoplexy, or loss of consciousness due to effusion of blood or other lesion within the substance of the brain; but it is sometimes extended to denote an effusion of blood into the substance of any organ; as, apoplexy of the lung.

Related terms

apoplectic

Translations

loss of consciousness

Catalan: apoplexia (ca) f
Dutch: apoplexie (nl) f
Esperanto: apopleksio
French: apoplexie (fr) f
German: Apoplexia f, Apoplexie (de) f, Schlaganfall (de) m, Apoplex (de) m
Greek: αποπληξία (el) (apoplixía), αποπληξία (el) f (apoplixía)
Hebrew: שבץ‎ (he) m (shavatz)
Ido: apoplexio (io)
Interlingue: apoplexie

Irish: apaipléis f
Norman: apoplexie f (Jersey)
Polish: apopleksja (pl) f
Portuguese: apoplexia (pt) f
Russian: апопле́кси́я (ru) (apopléksíja)
Slovak: apoplexia (sk) f
Spanish: apoplejía f
Swedish: apoplexi (sv)
Tagalog: sumpong-ulo

References

apoplexy in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.