traumatic

UK: trɔːˈmætɪk | US: trəˈmætɪk

Definition

  1. adj. relating to or causing psychological or physical trauma

  2. adj. (medicine) involving injury to living tissue

  3. adj. (informal) extremely distressing or disturbing

Structure
trauma <wound, from Greek *trauma*>tic <adjective suffix, from Greek *-ikos*>
Etymology

The word "traumatic" originates from the Greek trauma (meaning "wound" or "injury"), combined with the adjectival suffix -tic (from Greek -ikos). The term initially referred to physical injuries but expanded in the 19th century to include psychological distress, reflecting the growing understanding of mental health. The suffix -tic systematically converts nouns into adjectives, preserving the core meaning of "related to trauma."

Examples

  1. The accident left her with traumatic memories.

  2. The surgeon specialized in treating traumatic brain injuries.

  3. Childhood neglect can have traumatic effects on development.

  4. The documentary depicted the traumatic experiences of war survivors.

  5. He sought therapy to cope with the traumatic event.