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noun

sunstroke

SUHN-strohk
noun
1
A serious illness caused by spending too long in strong sun, marked by fever, dizziness, and collapse.
"He was rushed to hospital with sunstroke after the marathon."

How to Use Sunstroke

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA severe form of heatstroke caused by overexposure to direct sunlight.

Common mistake

Sunstroke is more serious than sunburn — it's a medical emergency involving the whole body, not just reddened skin.

Easily confused with
heatstroke sunburn

Word Forms

sunstrokes plural

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He was rushed to hospital with _____ after the marathon.

Etymology

A compound of sun + stroke, describing a "stroke" (sudden collapse) brought on by the sun.

Rhymes for sunstroke

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Definitions: FreeDict original editorial