vertigo

American  

[vur-ti-goh] / ˈvɜr tɪˌgoʊ /

noun

Pathology.

vertigoes, plural vertigines plural

1. a dizzying sensation of tilting within stable surroundings or of being in tilting or spinning surroundings.

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vertigo British  

/ ˈvɜːtɪˌɡəʊ /

noun

1. pathol a sensation of dizziness or abnormal motion resulting from a disorder of the sense of balance

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Etymology

Origin of vertigo

First recorded in 1520–30; from Latin vertīgō “a turning or whirling round,” equivalent to vert(ere) “to turn” ( cf. verse ¹ ( def. )) + -īgō noun suffix

Explanation

If you're standing still but the room is inexplicably spinning, you might want to let someone know you're suffering from vertigo — the sensation of dizziness or whirling. Contrary to popular belief, vertigo is not exactly the same thing as acrophobia, the fear of heights. However, acrophobia can result in the symptoms associated with vertigo. Interestingly, when legendary director Alfred Hitchcock created a film about a detective with an intense fear of heights, he named the film Vertigo, not Acrophobia; perhaps he thought Vertigo was catchier.

Example Sentences

"In 2006, nearly 2,000 residents suffered from vertigo, sight problems and nausea after it rained in Guney, with blood tests showing cyanide in their blood," he said.

From Barron's • May 15, 2026

She said she was nervous about the Mount Etna expedition in Italy because she had vertigo on a recent ascent of Ben Vorlich, her first Munro.

From BBC • May 6, 2026

And more serious concerns such as a stroke need to be ruled out when dizziness or vertigo is accompanied by severe imbalance, double vision, slurred speech, weakness, numbness, trouble walking or decreased alertness.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 15, 2026

Person says he experienced chronic headaches, migraines, fogginess, vertigo and blackouts during his career.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 23, 2026

He was teased only slightly by the phantoms of vertigo, but slightly nevertheless.

From "The Great Santini" by Pat Conroy