coma

B2 Topic:Abstract Ideas

US /ˈkoʊmə/ UK /ˈkəʊmə/ See IPA manual

Minimal pairs

Sounds like comma /ɑ/ vs /oʊ/

Freq #4581

Meanings

1

noun
A deep, prolonged state of unconsciousness, usually caused by serious injury or illness.

After the accident, she was in a coma for three weeks.
2

noun
The cloud of dust and gas surrounding the centre of a comet.

The comet's bright coma was visible even in daylight.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a deep, prolonged state of... comatoseness

Word family

Forms comaecomas

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Latin coma (“hair of the head”), from Ancient Greek κόμη (kómē, “hair”).

coma Latin κόμη Ancient Greek

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Abstract Ideas

External links

# coma

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈkoʊmə/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈkəʊmə/
**Frequency rank:** 4581

## Meanings
1. A deep, prolonged state of unconsciousness, usually caused by serious injury or illness.
2. The cloud of dust and gas surrounding the centre of a comet.

## Examples
- After the accident, she was in a coma for three weeks.
- The comet's bright coma was visible even in daylight.

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: coma
- Root: κόμη

## Etymology
Learned borrowing from Latin coma (“hair of the head”), from Ancient Greek κόμη (kómē, “hair”).

## AI Etymology
coma is a noun. It is a learned borrowing from Latin coma (“hair of the head”), from Ancient Greek κόμη (kómē, “hair”). Historical forms in the chain include coma (Latin) and κόμη (Ancient Greek). Current senses include a deep, prolonged state of unconsciousness, usually caused by serious injury or illness and the cloud of dust and gas surrounding the centre of a comet.

## Topics
- Abstract Ideas

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