coma

¹co·ma

noun \ˈkō-mə\

Definition of COMA

1

: a state of profound unconsciousness caused by disease, injury, or poison

2

: a state of mental or physical sluggishness : torpor

Origin of COMA

New Latin, from Greek kōma deep sleep

First Known Use: 1646

Other Medicine Terms

analgesia, angina, diabetes, hepatitis, homeopathy, logorrhea, palliate, pandemic

Rhymes with COMA

chroma, noma, soma, stoma, stroma

²coma

noun

plural co·mae \-ˌmē, -ˌmī\

Definition of COMA

1

: a tufted bunch (as of branches, bracts, or seed hairs)

2

: the head of a comet consisting of a cloud of gas and dust and usually containing a nucleus

3

: an optical aberration in which the image of a point source is a comet-shaped blur

— co·mat·ic \kō-ˈma-tik\ adjective

Origin of COMA

Latin, hair, from Greek komē

First Known Use: 1669

co·ma

noun \ˈkō-mə\   (Medical Dictionary)

Medical Definition of COMA

: a state of profound unconsciousness caused by disease, injury, or poison

coma

noun    (Concise Encyclopedia)

Complete lack of consciousness, with loss of reaction to stimulus and of spontaneous nervous activity. It is usually associated with cerebral injury of metabolic or physical origin. Simple concussions cause short losses of consciousness. Coma from lack of oxygen may last several weeks and is often fatal. Coma caused by stroke can be sudden, while that caused by metabolic abnormalities (as in diabetes mellitus) or cerebral tumours comes on gradually. Treatment depends on the cause.