heat-stroke

A person suffering from heat-stroke rests in the shade.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A serious medical condition: "heat-stroke" is a severe form of heat-related illness characterized by a dangerously high body temperature (typically above 40°C or 104°F), often accompanied by confusion, loss of consciousness, and failure of the body's temperature-regulating system. It is caused by prolonged exposure to high temperatures or physical exertion in hot conditions.

Usage Examples

• (A dangerous medical emergency due to excessive heat.)
• (Key signs of the condition.)
• (The necessary response to the illness.)

Advanced Usage

• "to suffer from heat-stroke": to experience this medical condition.

  • Elderly people are more likely to suffer from heat-stroke during a heatwave. (To be affected by the illness due to heat exposure.)

• "heat-stroke prevention": measures taken to avoid the condition.

  • Drinking plenty of water and staying in shaded areas are essential for heat-stroke prevention. (Actions to reduce risk.)

Variants and Related Words

• Heatstroke (alternative spelling): the same condition, often written as one word without a hyphen.

  • The athlete was hospitalized for heatstroke after the marathon. (Same meaning as heat-stroke.)

• Heat exhaustion (n): a milder form of heat-related illness that can precede heat-stroke.

  • If heat exhaustion is not treated, it can progress to heat-stroke. (A less severe condition.)

Synonyms

• Sunstroke: a historical term for heat-stroke, specifically caused by direct exposure to the sun.
  • Sunstroke is an older name for heat-stroke, but the medical definition is the same. (A synonym with a narrower focus.)

Related Idioms

• "to be in a heat-stroke": an informal, non-medical expression meaning to be extremely hot or overwhelmed by heat.
  • I'm in a heat-stroke just walking to the store in this weather! (Exaggerated way to say one feels very hot.)