Words / B2

KOHM-uh/ˈkəʊmə/

A coma is a long deep state of unconsciousness caused by injury or illness: in a coma; a diabetic coma. Sleep is ordinary; unconscious is the broader adjective. Quote the coma duration from the case notes. Mix-up: comma (punctuation); comb. Do not write coma for a short faint.

Meaning

A long deep state of unconsciousness caused by injury or illness.

Examples

• “Quote the coma duration from the case notes, not a soap-opera plot.”
• “A comma splice is a grammar fault, which is the punctuation trap — not the medical state.”

Good to know

in a coma; come out of a coma. Broader: unconscious. Trap: comma. Biology and health. Prolonged unconsciousness, not a nap or a punctuation mark.

New