noun
coma
KOH-muh
noun
1
A deep, prolonged state of unconsciousness from which a person cannot be woken, usually caused by severe illness or injury.
"He spent three weeks in a coma after the car accident."
"Doctors monitored her brain activity closely while she remained in a coma."
2
The hazy cloud of gas and dust surrounding the solid nucleus of a comet.
"Sunlight heats the comet's ice, releasing gas that forms its glowing coma."
How to Use Coma
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA state of total unconsciousness someone can't be roused from — or, in astronomy, the glowing haze around a comet's core.
Common mistake
Don't confuse with "comma," the punctuation mark — they sound different but are frequently mistyped for each other.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
fall into a coma
induced coma
come out of a coma
Word Forms
comas plural, comae plural
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He spent three weeks in a _____ after the car accident.
Etymology
A learned borrowing from Ancient Greek kôma, meaning "deep sleep."