Meanings
plural barotraumas
- countableuncountablemedicineDamage to body tissue caused by a difference in pressure between an air space in or near the body and the surrounding air.
The timing raised suspicions that the whales had been disoriented by "barotrauma," or pressure injuries to sensitive ear and brain tissues caused by sound waves.
2001 January 26, David Malakoff, “A Roaring Debate Over Ocean Noise”, in Science, volume 291, number 5504, →DOI, pages 576–5781 more example
Of course, one must take care not to inadvertently seal the ear canal with the suction tip, thereby risking "tympanic membrane barotrauma" and possibly sucking out the patient's brains.
1997 September 19, Cecil Adams, “the Straight Dope”, in Chicago Reader
Origin
Translations
Finnish painevaurio, barotrauma
- painevauriotissue damage caused by air pressure difference
- barotraumatissue damage caused by air pressure difference
French barotraumatisme
- barotraumatismetissue damage caused by air pressure difference
German Barotrauma
- Barotraumatissue damage caused by air pressure difference
Greek βαρότραυμα
- βαρότραυμα (varótravma)tissue damage caused by air pressure difference
Icelandic þrýstingsáverki
- þrýstingsáverkitissue damage caused by air pressure difference
Indonesian barotrauma
- barotraumatissue damage caused by air pressure difference
Italian barotrauma
- barotraumatissue damage caused by air pressure difference
Persian ترومای فشاری, باروتروما
- ترومای فشاری (teromâye fešâri)tissue damage caused by air pressure difference
- باروتروما (bârôteromâ)tissue damage caused by air pressure difference
Cite this entry
barotrauma. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/barotrauma
“barotrauma.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/barotrauma. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “barotrauma,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/barotrauma.
Source: barotrauma on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.