coma
pronunciation
How to pronounce coma in British English:
UK [ˈkəʊmə]
How to pronounce coma in American English:
US [ˈkoʊmə]
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- Noun:
- a state of deep and often prolonged unconsciousness; usually the result of disease or injury
- a usually terminal tuft of hairs especially on a seed
- (astronomy) the luminous cloud of particles surrounding the frozen nucleus of a comet; forms as the comet approaches the sun and is warmed
Word Origin
- coma (n.1)
- state of prolonged unconsciousness, 1640s, from Latinized form of Greek koma (genitive komatos) "deep sleep," which is of uncertain origin. A term for "coma" in Middle English was false sleep (late 14c.).
- coma (n.2)
- "head of a comet," 1765, from Latin coma, from Greek kome "hair of the head," which is of unknown origin. Earlier in English as a botanical term for a tuft of hairs (1660s).
Example
- 1. The other new tool was the jfk coma recovery scale .
- 2. The syndrome is often misdiagnosed as coma and severe brain damage .
- 3. After a week in a coma , she died friday morning .
- 4. Seconds later , his hand dropped as he fell into a coma .
- 5. With the consent of jeanna 's parents , willoughby induced a medical coma .