trauma

 
Pronunciation: /ˈtrɔːmə, ˈtraʊmə/

noun (plural traumas or traumata /-mətə/)

  • 1a deeply distressing or disturbing experience: they were reluctant to talk about the traumas of the revolution
  • [mass noun] emotional shock following a stressful event or a physical injury, which may lead to long-term neurosis: the event is relived with all the accompanying trauma
  • 2 [mass noun] Medicine physical injury: rupture of the diaphragm caused by blunt trauma

Origin:

late 17th century: from Greek, literally 'wound'