What does bruise mean?
A bruise is a mark of discoloration on the skin, usually black-and-blue at first, caused by a blow that breaks tiny blood vessels just below the surface without breaking the skin itself. Blood seeps into surrounding tissue, producing tenderness and a color that shifts from red or purple through green and yellow as the body gradually reabsorbs it over days. As a verb, to bruise can describe causing such an injury, damaging delicate objects like fruit through careless handling, or, figuratively, wounding someone's feelings, pride, or reputation. This extended sense is widely used in journalism — one might speak of bruised egos, bruised feelings, or bruising criticism. Bruises are among the most common of all injuries, typically harmless and self-healing in healthy people, though frequent unexplained bruising can signal underlying medical conditions. The word carries connotations of pain that leaves no open wound: visible damage, yet superficial enough to heal on its own with time and rest.
An injury appearing as a discolored, swollen, or tender area on the skin, caused by a blow that ruptures small blood vessels without breaking the skin.
"The bruise on her arm turned from purple to yellow within a week."
In medicine, the formal term is "contusion."
To cause a bruise on someone or something; to injure flesh or damage soft material without breaking it. Figuratively, to wound someone's feelings or pride.
"He bruised his shoulder when he slipped on the icy pavement."
The figurative use (e.g., "a bruised ego") is fully established and appears frequently in both speech and writing.
Standard plural, used for multiple marks of this kind on a body or object.
"After the fall, she found bruises blooming along both forearms."
The humble bruise is your body's own internal paint job — blood escaping broken capillaries turns skin through red, purple, green, and yellow as it heals.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of bruise
"Bruise" comes from the Old English verb "brysan," meaning to crush or pound, which likely derives from Proto-Germanic roots related to breaking. It was reinforced in Middle English by Anglo-Norman French "bruser" and Old French "bruisier," meaning to break or shatter, giving the modern form its shape. Cognates appear across Germanic languages, and the word has been in continuous English use for well over a thousand years.
Related word forms
How bruise is actually used
Both noun and verb uses are standard in all registers. The figurative sense of "bruising" criticism or a "bruised ego" is common in journalism and everyday speech. In British English, "graze" is sometimes used for minor scrapes, though it technically refers to abrasions rather than bruises.
Easily confused with bruise
"Brews" refers to drinks made by brewing (or the act of brewing), while "bruise" is an injury or to injure — they sound similar but differ in meaning and spelling.