traumatismo craneoencefálico
/tɾaumatismo kɾaneoenθefaliko/from spelling rulesmasculine
In Spanish, traumatic brain injury is traumatismo craneoencefálico.
The term refers to a traumatic injury to the brain. In medical settings, you will often see the acronym TCE used as a shorthand for traumatismo craneoencefálico.
Meaning: traumatic injury to the brain (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The term traumatismo craneoencefálico is a compound of traumatismo (trauma), cráneo (skull) and encéfalo (brain or encephalon), literally meaning a traumatic skull-brain injury.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, Traumatismo craneoencefálico and Lesión cerebral traumática are among the most common terms used. In Argentina, it is common to use Traumatismo de cráneo to refer to the condition.
How does it change in a sentence?
The term is a masculine noun. To express the plural form, traumatic brain injuries, both the noun traumatismo and the adjective craneoencefálico must take the plural suffix -s, resulting in traumatismos craneoencefálicos.
How do you pronounce it?
/tɾaumatismo kɾaneoenθefaliko/
Did you know?
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, there is a linguistic distinction between a traumatismo (the physical event) and a trauma (the psychological result).
- In casual settings, a person might describe a severe brain injury as a golpe, which literally translates to a 'hit' or 'blow'.
- The word encéfalo used in this phrase is more anatomically specific than the common word for brain, cerebro, as it encompasses the brain and its protective membranes.
Examples in context
- Después del accidente, el paciente fue diagnosticado con una lesión cerebral traumática.After the accident, the patient was diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury.
- El paciente sufrió un traumatismo craneoencefálico grave.The patient suffered a severe traumatic brain injury.
- Los médicos están evaluando el traumatismo craneoencefálico.The doctors are evaluating the traumatic brain injury.
Example conversation
A hospital hallway where a doctor explains a situation to a woman.
- Daniel¿Cómo está el estado de su esposo?How is your husband's condition?
- LucíaEstá estable, pero tiene un traumatismo craneoencefálico.He is stable, but he has a traumatic brain injury.
- DanielEntiendo, Lucía. Estará bajo observación constante.I understand, Lucía. He will be under constant observation.
- LucíaGracias por la información, Daniel.Thank you for the information, Daniel.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “traumatic brain injury” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
