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

One Reddit user, who had been ordering groceries while caring for a partner with a concussion, described receiving three bags of parsley after three separate attempts to purchase cilantro.

From Salon ● Oct. 25, 2026

That concern would be heightened if tests confirm Martinez suffered a concussion, with Premier League protocols typically requiring a minimum 14-day return-to-play process.

From BBC ● Oct. 17, 2026

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

Then he headed back to barracks, where he sat with the surviving troops and pretended he had suffered a concussion.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026

"Yeah, man. She's studying up to be an EMT. Wanted to make sure he was all stabilized and whatnot. No concussion and stuff, y'know? Those things can kill you if you ain't careful," Black explained.

From "When I Was the Greatest" by Jason Reynolds

CIF rules that restrict tackling to two days per week and a maximum of 45 to 90 minutes a day were adopted in an effort to protect players from concussions and injuries.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 28, 2026

Heading a football lasts a fraction of a second and rarely causes concussions, but it could also explain why some players develop dementia decades later.

From BBC ● Jun. 27, 2026

Doctors used to worry almost exclusively about concussions, but most headers don’t produce a concussion diagnosis.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 19, 2026

Jones added that several teammates had suffered concussions which "affected their day-to-day lives", with one unable to return to rugby for about six months because of ongoing symptoms.

From BBC ● Jun. 8, 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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