trauma
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
a very upsetting or scary experience that causes long-term mental or emotional pain.
a psychological injury resulting from a deeply distressing or life-threatening event. Often uncountable when referring to the state of mind, but countable when referring to specific incidents.
Simple“It took her many years to recover from the trauma of the accident.”
In context“Childhood trauma can have profound effects on adult relationships if the underlying emotional wounds are not addressed through professional therapy.”
- 02 C1 Advanced
a serious physical injury to the body, usually caused by an accident or violence.
severe physical injury caused by an external source. Frequently used in medical contexts to describe the physical damage itself.
Simple“The hospital has a special unit for patients with severe head trauma.”
In context“The emergency room team was prepared to treat multiple blunt force traumas following the multi-vehicle collision on the highway.”
- 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
an event that is very difficult, stressful, or unpleasant to deal with.
an event or experience that causes significant distress or upheaval. Often used more broadly in non-clinical contexts to describe any major negative life event.
Simple“Moving house can be a real trauma for some people.”
In context“The sudden closure of the factory was a trauma for the entire town, as hundreds of families lost their primary source of income overnight.”
“He said Gartshore had a history of childhood trauma, mental health problems, overdoses and self-harm, but argued that she had provided appropriate care to her baby up until the night of her death.”
“The South East Coast ambulance service said two people had been taken to major trauma centres with severe injuries.”
From Ancient Greek τραῦμα (traûma, “wound, damage”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.