trauma
Americannoun
plural
traumas, traumata-
Pathology.
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a body wound or shock produced by sudden physical injury, as from violence or accident.
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the condition produced by this; traumatism.
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Psychiatry.
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an experience that produces psychological injury or pain.
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the psychological injury so caused.
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noun
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psychol a powerful shock that may have long-lasting effects
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pathol any bodily injury or wound
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Severe bodily injury, as from a gunshot wound or a motor vehicle accident.
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Psychological or emotional injury caused by a deeply disturbing experience.
Usage
What does trauma mean? Trauma refers to a sudden, serious body injury or shock, as from violence or an accident, as in The car accident resulted in trauma to the arms and legs of the passenger.Trauma also refers to a serious psychological injury or emotional pain, as from being involved in a disturbing or horrible incident, as in The trauma caused by years of war still gives the soldier nightmares. Trauma is also used to refer to the specific incidents that cause both of these types of serious damage, as in The flood survivors never spoke of the trauma they experienced that day. Example: The victim suffered from internal bleeding caused by repeated trauma to the chest.
Discover More
The term is frequently used to describe an emotional shock that causes serious psychological damage.
Other Word Forms
- traumatic adjective
- traumatically adverb
Etymology
Origin of trauma
First recorded in 1685–95, trauma is from the Greek word traûma wound
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
But the trauma of Alfie's birth stayed with her and the move up to Sandfields Comprehensive School coincided with a decline in her mental health.
From BBC
“There’s been so much trauma. I think just building back the way things were would be insufficient,” says Kano.
From Los Angeles Times
Survival data from a regional air ambulance service in South East England shows that outcomes were better than expected for major trauma patients.
From Science Daily
Alouette and her comrades pursue a different life but do not seek it for everyone, which feels right not just for their era but for their experience of trauma.
From Los Angeles Times
“He’s very special, very normal, and very kind, and wants to help people heal, move through their trauma and stagnation into clarity. It’s a beautiful thing to commit your life to.”
From MarketWatch
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
