commotio cordis

noun

An often lethal disruption of heart rhythm as a result of a blow to the area directly over the heart at a critical time during the cycle of a heartbeat.

OriginLatin commōtiō cordis →
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Meanings

nouncommotio cordis (uncountable)
  1. uncountablemedicineAn often lethal disruption of heart rhythm as a result of a blow to the area directly over the heart at a critical time during the cycle of a heartbeat.

    “There are over 700 meridians in the human body. Mr. Kung Fu struck specific pressure points in me and induced commotio cordis. Five steps forward will cause massive compression buildup, causing my heart to explode under its own pressure.”

    2026 June 7, Rob Schrab, “Rick Fu Hustle” (3:15 from the start), in Rick and Morty, season 9, episode 3, spoken by Rick Sanchez (Ian Cardoni)

Origin

  1. Latincommōtiō cordis
  2. Englishcommotio cordis

From Latin commōtiō cordis (literally “agitation/disruption of the heart”), from commōtiō (“agitation”) + cordis (“of the heart”, genitive of cor (“heart”)).

More words from Latin

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian комо́цио ко́рдис
  • комо́цио ко́рдис (komócio kórdis)sudden physical cardiac disruption
German Herzerschütterung
  • Herzerschütterungsudden physical cardiac disruption
Japanese 心臓震盪
  • 心臓震盪 (shinzō shintō)sudden physical cardiac disruption
Cite this entry
APA

commotio cordis. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/commotio%20cordis

MLA

“commotio cordis.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/commotio%20cordis. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “commotio cordis,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/commotio%20cordis.

Source: commotio cordis on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.