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Glite Dictionary
blast trauma

blast trauma

1 7.5
Damage to the body from the strong wave of air and flying debris after an explosion
  • noun
  • /blæst ˈtrɔːmə/
  • Specialized
translation icon : trauma por explosión
  • After the bomb went off, many victims suffered from blast trauma due to flying debris and shockwaves.

Examples

  • The explosion resulted in significant blast trauma for the survivors trapped in the building.

  • Emergency responders treated several people for blast trauma following the attack in the crowded market.

  • Nonexplosive blast trauma is more common, occurring most often during human altercations, sports, and recreational water activities.

    Academic text (2006)

  • The rapid expansion of the surrounding air during a lightning strike causes an explosive blast trauma that often results in unilateral or bilateral perforation.

    Academic text (2006)

Synonyms

trauma
vsblast trauma
  • Specialized
269 4.4

A serious physical injury from an accident or attack

is a specific injury caused by explosions, pressure waves, or flying debris indoors

How Severe

blast trauma
  • Specialized
1 7.5
trauma
  • Specialized
269 4.4
injury
∞ 1.4

Surface Forms

blast trauma singular
blast traumas plural

Morphology

blast + trauma

The compound 'blast trauma' is directly compositional: 'blast' (an explosion) + 'trauma' (injury) clearly signals an injury caused by an explosion. This straightforward noun+noun formation follows common cross-linguistic patterns and should be inferable by a B1 learner who knows both constituents.

Etymology

Blast trauma comes from the two words blast (a strong explosion) and trauma (a serious injury). Imagine an explosion hitting someone so hard that the body is damaged inside even if the outside looks OK, and that's why blast trauma means 'injury caused by an explosion'.