vertigo
vertigo Lexical Profile
vertigo Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A sensation of whirling and loss of balance, associated particularly with looking down from a great height or caused by a disorder affecting the inner ear or the vestibular nerve.
"The patient visited an audiologist after experiencing sudden episodes of vertigo whenever she tilted her head backward."
A state of mental confusion, disorientation, or bewildered uncertainty caused by rapid change or overwhelming circumstances.
"Reading the contradictory legal briefs gave the young clerk a sense of intellectual vertigo."
Word Nuance & Usage
In everyday conversation, 'vertigo' is frequently confused with 'acrophobia' (the fear of heights); clinically, however, vertigo refers specifically to the false sensation of spinning or motion, typically caused by inner-ear or neurological issues.
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in the early 16th century directly from Latin 'vertīgo' ('a whirling or spinning movement; giddiness'), derived from the verb 'vertere' ('to turn').