/ trɔːˈmætɪk; NAmE traʊˈm-/ adjective
1.
extremely unpleasant and causing you to feel upset and/or anxious :
a traumatic experience
Divorce can be traumatic for everyone involved.
2.
[ only before noun ] ( psychology or medical ) connected with or caused by trauma :
traumatic amnesia
—see also post-traumatic stress disorder
► trau·mat·ic·al·ly / -kli; NAmE / adverb
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WORD ORIGIN
mid 19th cent.: via late Latin from Greek traumatikos , from trauma wound.