1
: a state of profound unconsciousness caused by disease, injury, or poison
2
: a state of mental or physical sluggishness : torpor
plural comae
ˈkō-ˌmē 
-ˌmī
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
Examples of coma in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
David Faris, TheWeek, 20 May 2026
Chloe was placed in an induced coma in a London hospital for four days after developing HUS and pneumonia, while Arthur has had to relearn how to walk properly due to the impact of HUS on his brain, the law firm said.
—Adam England, PEOPLE, 19 May 2026
Individuals over the age of 60, and those with certain medical conditions, such as cancer, diabetes, hypertension, kidney disease, and organ transplants are at greater risk for serious illness and rarely may progress to permanent neurological damage, coma, and death.
—Adam Harrington, CBS News, 18 May 2026
Forty days of induced coma is almost the same as being dead.
—David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 16 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for coma
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Noun
On her wedding day, her former boss and lover, Bill (David Carradine), kills the entire wedding party and leaves Beatrix in a coma.
—David Faris, TheWeek, 20 May 2026
Chloe was placed in an induced coma in a London hospital for four days after developing HUS and pneumonia, while Arthur has had to relearn how to walk properly due to the impact of HUS on his brain, the law firm said.
—Adam England, PEOPLE, 19 May 2026
Individuals over the age of 60, and those with certain medical conditions, such as cancer, diabetes, hypertension, kidney disease, and organ transplants are at greater risk for serious illness and rarely may progress to permanent neurological damage, coma, and death.
—Adam Harrington, CBS News, 18 May 2026
Forty days of induced coma is almost the same as being dead.
—David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 16 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for coma
Cite this Entry
“Coma.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/coma. Accessed 23 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
coma
1 of 2 noun
co·ma
ˈkō-mə
: a sleeplike state of unconsciousness caused by disease, injury, or poison
coma
2 of 2 noun
plural comae
-ˌmē
-ˌmī
: the head of a comet made up of a cloud of gas and dust and usually containing a nucleus
Etymology
Noun
scientific Latin, from Greek kōma "deep sleep"
Noun
from Latin coma "hair," from Greek komē "hair" — related to comet
Medical Definition
coma
noun
co·ma
ˈkō-mə
: a state of profound unconsciousness caused by disease, injury, or poison
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