Meanings
alternative TdP · alternative torsade de pointes · alternative torsade de pointe · alternative torsades de pointe · alternative torsades des pointes · alternative torsade des pointes
- uncountablecardiologyA polymorphic ventricular tachycardia, predisposing to sudden cardiac death and more likely to occur during prolongations of the QT interval.
Synonyms & antonyms
Origin
- Frenchtorsader“to twist”
- Englishtorsades de pointes
From French torsader (“to twist”), de (“of”), and pointe (“a(n ECG) spike”), from the characteristic/classic appearance of the associated electrocardiogram image of a turning of the QRS complex's orientation around the isoelectric baseline (namely peaks which are at first f.e. pointing up are progressively seen to be diminishing in height and then pointing further and further down for subsequent heartbeats); term coined by the French physician François Dessertenne in 1966.
More words from French
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Finnish kääntyvien kärkien takykardia
- kääntyvien kärkien takykardiaTranslations
Cite this entry
torsades de pointes. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/torsades%20de%20pointes
“torsades de pointes.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/torsades%20de%20pointes. Accessed November 5, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “torsades de pointes,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/torsades%20de%20pointes.
Source: torsades de pointes on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.