wound
Wound (noun) means an injury where the skin is cut, pierced, or torn. Example: “The nurse cleaned the wound before bandaging it.”
How to use wound
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA physical injury, or an emotional hurt; also the verb form of causing either.
Note this "wound" (rhymes with "swooned") is a different word from the past tense of "wind" (rhymes with "found") — same spelling, unrelated meaning.
Word forms
wounded past tense, wounds plural, wound plural, wounded plural, wounds singular, wound singular, wounded singular, woundest singular, woundedst singular, woundeth singular
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The nurse cleaned the _____ before bandaging it.
Etymology
From Old English wund (noun) and wundian (verb), both from a common Germanic root.
Synonyms
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Rhymes for wound
See all rhymes for wound →Frequently asked questions
What does “wound” mean?
The word “wound” means an injury where the skin is cut, pierced, or torn. In plain terms, a physical injury, or an emotional hurt; also the verb form of causing either.
How do you pronounce “wound”?
“Wound” is pronounced WOOND (/ˈwuːnd/ in IPA).
How do you use “wound” in a sentence?
Here is “wound” used in a sentence: “The nurse cleaned the wound before bandaging it.”
What part of speech is “wound”?
Depending on how it is used, “wound” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “wound” come from?
The word “wound” comes from Old English. From Old English wund (noun) and wundian (verb), both from a common Germanic root.
Is “wound” a common word?
“Wound” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “wound” have?
“Wound” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: an injury where the skin is cut, pierced, or torn.
What is the difference between a wound and an injury?
A wound is a specific type of injury in which the skin is cut, pierced, or torn, whereas 'injury' is a broader term covering any physical harm, including bruises, sprains, and broken bones where the skin may stay intact. Every wound is an injury, but not every injury is a wound.
What is the difference between 'wound' meaning an injury and 'wound' as the past tense of 'wind'?
They are two unrelated words that happen to be spelled the same (homographs). 'Wound' the injury rhymes with 'moon', while 'wound', the past tense of the verb 'wind' as in winding a clock, rhymes with 'found'; the surrounding context tells you which one is meant.
What is the difference between a wound and a scar?
A wound is a fresh injury where the skin is cut, pierced, or torn, while a scar is the mark left on the skin after a wound has healed. In other words, a scar is what may remain once a wound closes over.
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