coma

1 of 2

noun (1)

co·​ma ˈkō-mə 

1

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

2

: a state of mental or physical sluggishness : torpor

coma

2 of 2

noun (2)

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

comatic

kō-ˈma-tik 

adjective

Examples of coma in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Instead of fading quietly into the dark, 3I/ATLAS flared with activity, developing a glowing coma rich in water vapor, carbon dioxide and organic compounds. —Samantha Mathewson, Space.com, 6 Feb. 2026

Say a person is in a coma, or in rehab, or lost their home due to a natural disaster, and misses reporting their work requirement documentation, said Tracey Hutchings-Goetz, an organizer with Hoosier Action. —Kayla Dwyer, IndyStar, 5 Feb. 2026

Over 5,000 invasive green iguanas have been removed across Florida counties and cities after freezing temperatures recently put the cold-blooded invasive species in a coma-like state, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) said Wednesday. —Ana Maria Soler, CBS News, 4 Feb. 2026

In about two-thirds of patients, the disease rapidly progresses, and coma can strike within five to seven days. —Michal Ruprecht, CNN Money, 30 Jan. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

New Latin, from Greek kōma deep sleep

Noun (2)

Latin, hair, from Greek komē

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1646, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

1669, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing coma

• food coma

Rhymes for coma

• chroma
• homa
• loma
• phoma
• soma
• stoma
• stroma
• toma
• adenocarcinoma
• choriocarcinoma
• pheochromocytoma
• ambystoma

Kids 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