trauma

[ trou-muh, traw- ]
See synonyms for: traumatraumas on Thesaurus.com

noun,plural trau·mas, trau·ma·ta [trou-muh-tuh, traw-]. /ˈtraʊ mə tə, ˈtrɔ-/.
  1. Pathology.

    • a body wound or shock produced by sudden physical injury, as from violence or accident.

    • the condition produced by this; traumatism.

  2. Psychiatry.

    • an experience that produces psychological injury or pain.

    • the psychological injury so caused.

Origin of trauma

1
First recorded in 1685–95, trauma is from the Greek word traûma wound

Words Nearby trauma

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use trauma in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for trauma

trauma

/ (ˈtrɔːmə) /


nounplural -mata (-mətə) or -mas
  1. psychol a powerful shock that may have long-lasting effects

  2. pathol any bodily injury or wound

Origin of trauma

1
C18: from Greek: a wound

Derived forms of trauma

  • traumatic (trɔːˈmætɪk), adjective
  • traumatically, adverb

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for trauma

trauma

[ trômə, trou- ]


  1. Severe bodily injury, as from a gunshot wound or a motor vehicle accident.

  2. Psychological or emotional injury caused by a deeply disturbing experience.

The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Cultural definitions for trauma

trauma

[ (trow-muh, traw-muh) ]


Wounds that result from sudden physical injury or violence.

Notes for trauma

The term is frequently used to describe an emotional shock that causes serious psychological damage.

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.