convulse
UK[kənˈvʌls]US[kənˈvʌls]
v
to cause (someone) to suffer sudden, violent, uncontrollable movements of the body
v
to disturb or agitate violently
Morpheme Breakdown
con
vulse
con
together
vulse
to pull
Etymology
the word convulse originates from the latin convulsus, the past participle of convellere, meaning 'to tear loose, to pull violently'. this verb itself is a compound of the prefix con-, intensifying the action, and vellere, meaning 'to pull or pluck'. the core imagery is of a violent pulling or wrenching apart. over time, this literal sense of being violently shaken apart evolved into the modern medical and figurative meanings, describing involuntary muscular contractions that seem to tear at the body or events that violently disturb a system.
Analysis
Structure: con (together) + vulse (to pull)
con- (latin origin, a prefix meaning 'together' or 'with'). -vulse (from latin vuls-, the past participial stem of vellere, meaning 'to pull, to pluck, to tear').
Examples
the patient began to convulse uncontrollably during the seizure.
the nation was convulsed by a series of political scandals.
a sudden jolt of pain convulsed his features.