stroke
Stroke (noun) means a sudden loss of blood flow to part of the brain, which can cause lasting damage or death. Example: “He suffered a stroke in his early sixties but made a strong recovery.”
How to use stroke
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA medical emergency involving the brain's blood supply, or a single sweeping movement, or a lucky break.
A "stroke of luck" refers to good fortune, unrelated to the medical meaning — context makes it clear which is meant.
Word forms
- Singular
- strokes, stroke, stroked, strokest, strokedst, stroketh
- Plural
- strokes, stroke, stroked
- Past tense
- stroked
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
He suffered a _____ in his early sixties but made a strong recovery.
Etymology
From Old English strac, related to a Proto-Germanic root meaning "to rub, stroke, or strike" — the same root that gives "strike."
Related words
Rhymes for stroke
See all rhymes for stroke →Frequently asked questions
What does “stroke” mean?
The word “stroke” means a sudden loss of blood flow to part of the brain, which can cause lasting damage or death. In plain terms, a medical emergency involving the brain's blood supply, or a single sweeping movement, or a lucky break.
How do you pronounce “stroke”?
“Stroke” is pronounced strohk (/stɹoʊk/ in IPA).
How do you use “stroke” in a sentence?
Here is “stroke” used in a sentence: “He suffered a stroke in his early sixties but made a strong recovery.”
What part of speech is “stroke”?
Depending on how it is used, “stroke” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “stroke” come from?
The word “stroke” comes from Old English. From Old English strac, related to a Proto-Germanic root meaning "to rub, stroke, or strike" — the same root that gives "strike.".
Is “stroke” a common word?
“Stroke” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.
How many meanings does “stroke” have?
“Stroke” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a sudden loss of blood flow to part of the brain, which can cause lasting damage or death.
What is the difference between a stroke and a heart attack?
A stroke is a sudden loss of blood flow to part of the brain, which can cause lasting damage or death. A heart attack, by contrast, affects blood flow to the heart, so a stroke concerns the brain while a heart attack concerns the heart.
How can stroke mean both a medical event and a brush mark?
Stroke has separate noun senses. One is the medical event of a sudden loss of blood flow to the brain, and another is a single movement of a tool, brush, oar, or limb, or the mark it leaves. Context makes clear which is meant.
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