Before the term “coma” came into use, Middle English speakers referred to the state of consciousness as “false sleep.” The term “coma” was first documented in a 1646 epidemiology textbook, which stated that sneezing was a positive indicator during comas. Since then, its usage has steadily increased. The word “coma” is a Latinized version of the Ancient Greek word “koma,” which means “deep sleep.” The exact origin of “koma” is uncertain, but it is believed to possibly stem from the Proto-Indo-European root “kumb,” making it distantly related to “incumbent” (meaning “one who lies down”). Additionally, “coma” also refers to the head of a comet, with a separate origin from the Ancient Greek word “kome,” which originally meant head hairs.
