What is the medical term for a bruise?

The medical term for a bruise is contusion. A contusion refers to an injury to the body in which blood vessels are damaged or broken, causing blood to leak into the surrounding tissues. This collection of blood under the skin results in the characteristic discoloration associated with bruises, typically ranging in color from red to purple as the body absorbs the blood over time.

While other terms such as hematoma, ecchymosis, and lesion relate to similar concepts involving blood and tissue injury, they have distinct meanings. A hematoma specifically refers to a more significant collection of blood outside of blood vessels, which can be larger and may require medical attention. Ecchymosis also describes a larger area of bruising but is often used to refer to a bruise on the skin that has not been significantly raised, resembling a contusion in presentation. A lesion is a broader term that pertains to any abnormal tissue change, whether due to injury, disease, or infection, and does not specifically denote a bruise.

Thus, in the context of bruising, contusion is the most precise term for this common injury.