trauma

noun

SayTRAW-muhUS/ˈtɹɔ.mə/UK/ˈtɹɔː.mə/

Pluraltraumas, traumata

3 meanings of trauma

1
nouncountable or uncountable
A deep emotional hurt that keeps affecting how someone feels and thinks.
Like a deep cut inside your mind that takes a long time to heal.
Years later, she was still dealing with the trauma of her childhood.
Talking to a counselor helped him work through his trauma.
Similardistress, anguish, suffering
Note
2
noununcountable
Serious harm to the body, often caused by an accident or violence.
Like the damage a car takes in a crash, but to a person's body.
The crash victim suffered severe trauma to his chest.
Doctors checked the child for any sign of head trauma after the fall.
Similarinjury, wound
Note
3
nouncountable
A very upsetting event that causes someone deep distress.
Like an earthquake that shakes everything and leaves things broken for a long time.
Losing their home in the fire was a real trauma for the whole family.
Moving to a new country was a major trauma for the children.
Similarordeal, shock, blow

Practice

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Origin

From an Ancient Greek word meaning "wound" or "damage."