Word
bruise
US/ˈbɹuz/
UK/bɹˈuːz/
Countable noun
Definition
n. a dark mark on your skin that appears after you get hit or fall down. It usually changes color from purple to yellow as it heals.
n. an injury appearing as an area of discoloured skin on the body, caused by a blow or impact rupturing underlying blood vessels.
Examples
“I have a large bruise on my leg from the fall.”
“The doctor checked the dark bruise on the patient's arm to ensure no bones were broken during the accident.”
“While the physical bruise faded within a fortnight, the psychological impact of the collision lingered much longer, manifesting as a newfound hesitation whenever she approached a busy intersection.”
Examples
simple
“I have a large bruise on my leg from the fall.”
contextual
“The doctor checked the dark bruise on the patient's arm to ensure no bones were broken during the accident.”
complex
“While the physical bruise faded within a fortnight, the psychological impact of the collision lingered much longer, manifesting as a newfound hesitation whenever she approached a busy intersection.”
Usage
Often used with the verbs 'get', 'have', or 'leave'.
Real-World Examples
“Christian Pulisic suffered a microfracture and bone bruise in his leg in the United States’ 4-1 loss to Belgium in the World Cup last 16 on Monday, US Soccer announced.” “We are all more prone to bruising as we get older, and you see that a lot in people that take aspirin and other blood-thinning agents.” “A bruise is a discolored mark on your skin that forms when blood vessels under your skin break and leak.” “Some of us bruise more easily, but lifestyle changes can make us less susceptible.” Etymology
From Middle English bruisen, brusen, brosen, brisen, bresen, from a merger two words, both ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *bʰrews- (“to break”): Old English brȳsan, brīesan (“to bruise; crush”), from Proto-Germanic brausijaną, *brūsijaną (“to break; crumble; crack”). Provided the word's sense. Anglo-Norman bruiser, bruser (“to break, smash, shatter”), from Gaulish brus-, from Proto-Celtic *bruseti (“to break”). Provided the word's form. Cognate with Scots brizz, German brausen (“to roar; boom; pound”), Old English brosnian (“to crumble, fall apart”), Dutch broos (“brittle”), German Brosame (“crumb”), dialectal Norwegian brøysk (“breakable”), Latin frustum (“bit, scrap”), Old Church Slavonic бръснути (brŭsnuti, “to rake”), Albanian breshër (“hail”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B1 PreliminaryIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.4.0–5.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 3.0–3.544–71TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.550–784
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B1 · Intermediate
- Updated
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