hematoma

noun

he·​ma·​to·​ma ˌhē-mə-ˈtō-mə How to pronounce hematoma (audio)
plural hematomas also hematomata ˌhē-mə-ˈtō-mə-tə How to pronounce hematoma (audio)
: a mass of usually clotted blood that forms in a tissue, organ, or body space as a result of a broken blood vessel

Examples of hematoma in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
One possible injury is a subdural hematoma, which is bleeding between the brain and its outer protective covering putting pressure on the brain. — Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 16 Oct. 2026 According to the Cleveland Clinic, an anterior mediastinum hematoma is the collection of clotted blood pooling in the front part of the chest cavity. — Natasha Dye, PEOPLE, 12 Oct. 2026 Jackson was taken into surgery, where a hematoma was evacuated and a fasciotomy procedure was performed to relieve pressure and restore blood flow, a complaint says. — Chris Ramirez, jsonline.com, 4 Sep. 2026 The Puerto Rican boxer had brain surgery but never fully recovered from his injuries, identified as a large subdural hematoma, and was in a persistent vegetative state. — Matt Moret, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for hematoma

Word History

Etymology

New Latin

First Known Use

circa 1849, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hematoma was circa 1849

Rhymes for hematoma

See All Rhymes for hematoma

Browse Nearby Words

hematolysis
hematoma
hematometer
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Hematoma.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hematoma. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Medical Definition

hematoma

noun
he·​ma·​to·​ma
variants or chiefly British haematoma
-ˈtō-mə How to pronounce hematoma (audio)
plural hematomas also hematomata -mət-ə How to pronounce hematoma (audio)
: a mass of usually clotted blood that forms in a tissue, organ, or body space as a result of a broken blood vessel

More from Merriam-Webster on hematoma

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about hematoma

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of compunction

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?
See More

Popular

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
artwork of illustrated limes with the text limes and smile with an arrow connecting the two words
Quiz: Spot the Anagram! Scramble these words to find new words with the e...
See All