Contusion
/kənˈtuːʒən/noun
An injury in which the skin is bruised and underlying tissue is damaged without being cut.
Did you know?The medical word comes from Latin contundere, literally describing tissue struck or crushed together, while its deeper root also produced words connected with striking and imprinting.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*tewH-
“To strike, beat, or push”
Ancient Greek
Greek
týptō
“I strike or beat”
Classical Latin
Latin
tundere
“To beat, strike, or pound”
Classical Latin
Latin
contundere
“To beat or crush together; to bruise”
Late Latin
Latin
contūsio
“A bruising or crushing injury”
14th Century
Middle English
contusion
“A bruise or wound caused by a blow”
Modern English
English
contusion
“A bruise involving damage to underlying tissue”
Explore more surprising origins