concussion

American  

[kuhn-kuhsh-uhn] / kənˈkʌʃ ən /

noun

• concussions
  plural

1. Pathology. injury to the brain or spinal cord due to jarring from a blow, fall, or the like.

2. shock caused by the impact of a collision, blow, etc.

3. the act of violently shaking or jarring.

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concussion British  

/ kənˈkʌʃən /

noun

1. a jarring of the brain, caused by a blow or a fall, usually resulting in loss of consciousness

2. any violent shaking; jarring

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concussion Scientific  

/ kən-kŭsh′ən /

1. An injury to a soft structure, especially the brain, produced by a violent blow or impact and followed by a temporary, sometimes prolonged, loss of function. A concussion of the brain results in transient loss of consciousness or memory.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• concussant
  adjective
• concussional
  adjective
• concussive
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• concussions
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of concussion

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin concussiōn-, stem of concussiō “a shaking,” also “earthquake, extortion”; equivalent to concuss + -ion

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Explanation

A concussion is a violent blow, especially to the head, that often injures the brain or causes a loss of consciousness — an all-too-frequent occurrence, unfortunately, in contact sports like football or boxing. First used around 1400, concussion originates from the Latin concussionem, which means "a shaking." Your brain certainly gets "a shaking" when you take a heavy blow to the head, which sometimes causes injury or permanent damage. It's not just people, though, who get concussions; a building can also suffer from a concussion during an earthquake.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

concussion concussions

Goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez was taken to hospital for "precautionary tests" after suffering what boss Xabi Alonso said was a concussion during Chelsea's win at Everton on Saturday.

From BBC ● Oct. 17, 2026

He continued high-fiving teammates while the Ducks surrounded their quarterback, who was diagnosed with a concussion but no other serious injuries.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 30, 2026

In his postgame news conference, Hurts didn’t address the hit by Jackson but did express frustration about not being able to clear the concussion protocol and re-enter the game sooner.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 29, 2026

Without the influential Tara Jane Stanley through concussion, they were odds against but with Wigan unable to get into their free-flowing stride, York's superb determination saw them over the line.

From BBC ● Sep. 27, 2026

A cottonwood landed atop a Forest Service pickup being driven by Carl Abeyta, who received a broken nose and a mild concussion from the incident, but, unfortunately, nothing worse.

From "The Milagro Beanfield War" by John Nichols

Tim Moscicki, an athletic trainer at Loyola High for 38 years, said much has changed for the better in protecting football players from concussions and other head injuries.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 30, 2026

He has a facial tic that he blames on his concussions and a limp stemming from back problems.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 25, 2026

The “why” could be bad luck, better awareness in diagnosing concussions or something else.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 14, 2026

He sustained four concussions in six years, and met with doctors to see if he could continue his football career.

From MarketWatch ● Mar. 9, 2026

I told everyone about Mr. Terupt’s early concussions, and the bleeding, and the looming surgery.

From "Because of Mr. Terupt" by Rob Buyea

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Related Words

• bump
• injury
• shock
• trauma

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