concussion
Definitions
A temporary brain injury caused by a violent blow or jolt to the head
脑震荡
A violent shaking or shock, as from an explosion or collision
剧烈震动；冲击
Root Breakdown
Root-derivedcon- (here intensive, "thoroughly") + cuss (from quatere, shake) + -ion (act/state) = a violent shaking. Latin kept it general (any forceful collision), but English medicine narrowed it: when a blow shakes the brain inside the skull, that is a concussion. The ancient "shaking" image survives almost untouched.
Root cuss still carries 6 more wordsUsage Guide
Usually countable in medical use: "suffer / sustain / have a concussion." "Concussion protocol" is the set of steps sports use to check and rest a head-injured player. The general "shock wave" sense (concussion from a blast) is rarer and more formal.
Example Sentences
- 1.
She suffered a concussion after falling off her bike.
- 2.
The player was taken off the field with a suspected concussion.
- 3.
The concussion from the blast shattered nearby windows.
Easily Confused
concussion vs contusion — easy to mix up by sound. A concussion is a shaking of the brain (a functional injury, often invisible). A contusion is a bruise — bleeding under the skin or in tissue. Brain rattled → concussion; bruise → contusion.