aneurysm

noun

an·​eu·​rysm ˈan-yə-ˌri-zəm 

variants or less commonly aneurism

: an abnormal blood-filled bulge of a blood vessel and especially an artery resulting from weakening (as from disease) of the vessel wall

aneurysmal

ˌan-yə-ˈriz-məl 

adjective

Examples of aneurysm in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Bono, born Paul Hewson, attributes his own obsession with becoming a rock star to the fact that his father essentially ignored him, a situation that was only exacerbated when his mother died, quite suddenly, of an aneurysm, a tragedy his father literally never spoke of. —Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 16 May 2025

These aneurysms tend to develop in areas where blood vessels branch off in two directions. —Angelica Bottaro, Verywell Health, 14 May 2025

In May 2023, Jackie Miller James suffered a life-threatening aneurysm at 39 weeks pregnant Comments NEED TO KNOW In 2023, Jackie Miller James suffered a ruptured aneurysm at 39 weeks pregnant. —Zoey Lyttle, People.com, 7 May 2025

Here’s the proposition for the benefit of having the scan: if the MRI catches a cancer early or detects hidden aneurysms, resulting treatments may improve health and longevity. —Jesse Pines, Forbes.com, 13 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Greek aneurysma, from aneurynein to dilate, from ana- + eurynein to stretch, from eurys wide — more at eury-

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for aneurysm

• alyssum
• cataclysm

Medical Definition

aneurysm

noun

an·​eu·​rysm

variants also aneurism

ˈan-yə-ˌriz-əm 

: an abnormal blood-filled dilatation of a blood vessel and especially an artery resulting from disease of the vessel wall

aneurysmal adjective

also aneurismal

ˌan-yə-ˈriz-məl 

aneurysmally

-ē 

adverb