traumatic

[truh-mat-ik, traw-, trou-]

adjective

1. of, relating to, or produced by a trauma or wound.

2. adapted to the cure of wounds.

3. psychologically painful.

Other Word Forms

• traumatically adverb
• untraumatic adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of traumatic¹

First recorded in 1650–60; from Late Latin traumaticus, from Greek traumatikós “pertaining to wounds,” from traumat- (stem of traûma trauma ) + -ikos -ic

Example Sentences

"It has slightly different central nervous system effects and may be better suited for other conditions like spinal cord injury or traumatic brain injury, so we're keeping it in the pipeline."

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"It's traumatic for the clients we're serving, for the families getting ripped apart."

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That traumatic episode was marked by inflated assumptions about the internet’s power demand.

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He said returning to sport has helped him cope with his traumatic spinal injury.

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After months of worsening symptoms, Chesson was diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury and permanent damage to her peripheral nervous system caused by the fumes she inhaled.

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Related Words

• awful 
• chilling 
• disquieting 
• dreadful 
• eerie 
• ghastly 
• grim 
• grisly 
• hair-raising 
• hellish 
• horrible 
• horrid 
• horrifying 
• macabre 
• scary 
• spooky 
• terrible 
• terrifying