Injuries to the skin caused by blunt force that result in bruising, without breaking the skin open.
From Latin contusus, the past participle of contundere (con- meaning 'together' and tundere meaning 'to strike' or 'to beat'). The word literally means 'struck together.'
Doctors can tell how old a bruise is by its color—red or purple bruises are fresh, green ones are 5-7 days old, yellow ones are 7-10 days old—because the hemoglobin in blood breaks down into different pigments over time. It's like a scientific clock on your skin.
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