hangman's fracture
- noun
- /ˈhæŋmənz ˈfræktʃər/
- Specialized
:
fractura del ahorcado
- He was fortunate to recover fully from his hangman's fracture.
Examples
-
What is a hangman's fracture?
-
Emergency physicians are trained to recognize the symptoms of a hangman's fracture.
-
The patient suffered a hangman's fracture after a severe car accident.
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The doctor diagnosed him with a hangman's fracture after the accident.
-
A Hangman's fracture often occurs in severe accidents involving sudden hyperextension of the neck.
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Doctors may diagnose a Hangman's fracture after a patient experiences a fall that causes the neck to bend backward violently.
-
The athlete suffered a Hangman's fracture during the game when he was tackled and his head was forced back.
How Severe
- Specialized
- Specialized
1
8.1
- Specialized
6
6.0
- Specialized
1
3.5
9
5.1
Surface Forms
Morphology
hangman's + fracture
The compound clearly links 'hangman' (someone who hangs) with 'fracture' (a break), so a B1 learner who knows both words could reasonably infer this refers to a break related to hanging or the neck. However, the precise medical meaning — a specific C2 vertebra fracture caused by hyperextension — is specialized and not fully predictable from the surface parts, so the expression is only partially transparent.
Etymology
Hangman's fracture comes from old executions where a hangman used a rope. The sudden backward movement of the head could break the upper neck, so doctors now use the name for the same kind of fracture after falls or accidents.