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

But putting someone into a pharmacological coma for long-term space travel would be tricky, says Matteo Cerri, an associate professor of physiology at the University of Bologna in Italy. —Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 22 Mar. 2026

Yet Grace is the one who wakes up in space, and this story emerges nonlinearly, narrative flashbacks like bursts of memory ripping through his brain, discombobulated after a long intergalactic coma. —Katie Walsh, Twin Cities, 21 Mar. 2026

The palette migrates into supremely comfortable guest rooms that are outfitted with custom dark wood furniture, coma-enducing beds, and classic marble bathrooms that include a 17-inch LCD TV embedded in the mirror. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Mar. 2026

Yet Grace is the one who wakes up in space, and this story emerges nonlinearly, narrative flashbacks like bursts of memory ripping through his brain, discombobulated after a long intergalactic coma. —Katie Walsh, Boston Herald, 19 Mar. 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