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

Another starting quarterback in that mold, the Minnesota Vikings’ Kyler Murray, went down with a concussion in his team’s debut after taking a hit to the head on a scramble.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 22, 2026

A torn ACL could have ended the season for the second-year quarterback who missed two games last year after sustaining a concussion.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 22, 2026

A CT scan at a hospital was negative, said Green, who added that Young had concussion symptoms but also had full use of his extremities.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 18, 2026

Murray's first pass with the Vikings was intercepted, and the former first overall draft pick then suffered a concussion before being replaced by veteran Carson Wentz.

From BBC ● Sep. 14, 2026

If I’d gotten a concussion, I’d be off the roster for a long time.

From "Winger" by Andrew Smith

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

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

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

New Orleans Saints: Jordyn Tyson, WR, Arizona State — Chris Olave has been great for the Saints, but he’s prone to concussions.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 22, 2026

A 1993 survey found that 13 percent of jockeys suffered concussions over a period of just four months.

From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand

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Related Words

• bump
• injury
• shock
• trauma

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