Standard Lemma guide

contuse

verb · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • General-American: /kənˈtuz/
  • UK: /kənˈtjuːz/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -uːz

1

verb

Meaning 1

To injure without breaking the skin; to bruise.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Topics: engineering, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, technical

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

injure the underlying soft tissue or bone of

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • I bruised my knee

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: bruise

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: injure, wound

Narrower terms: jam, crush

History

Etymology

From (the participle stem of) Latin contundere (“pound or beat small”), from com- + tundere (“beat, thump”).

Across languages

Translations

6 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Greek: μωλωπίζω (molopízo) — To injure without breaking the skin; to bruise
  • Russian: контузить (kontuzitʹ) — To injure without breaking the skin; to bruise
  • Russian: ушибить (ušibitʹ) — To injure without breaking the skin; to bruise
  • Spanish: contundir — To injure without breaking the skin; to bruise
  • Spanish: contusionar — To injure without breaking the skin; to bruise
  • Swedish: mörbulta — To injure without breaking the skin; to bruise