Wound and wound are two words that are spelled identically but are pronounced differently and have different meanings, which makes them heteronyms. We will examine the definitions of the words wound and wound, where these words came from, and a few examples of their use in sentences.
A wound (woond) is an injury, either physical or figurative. A wound may be inflicted on living tissue or it may be an injury to one’s emotions or psychological makeup. Wound is also a verb that means to inflict an injury, either physically or figuratively. Related words are wounds, wounded, wounding. The word wound is derived from the Old English word wund, which means ulcer or injury.
Wound (wownd) is the past tense of wind, which means to twist something, to make a spiral or coil shape, to encircle something. Related words are winds, winding. The word wound is derived from the Old English word windan, which means to twist or curl.
Examples
When April Coker heard Preston Lagle finally admitted his role in the death of her son, a wound that had been festering for months was ripped wide open, flooding her with anxiety and pain. (The Times-Mail)
He would just patch a wound with a piece of duct tape and keep moving. (The Miami News-Record)
But armed with some flasks and a UV lamp, scientists at the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambridge have wound the clock back billions of years to give us fresh insight into one of the most fundamental questions facing humankind. (The Cambridge Independent)
At a press conference Wednesday, DeSantis said he understood “people got all wound up” about speculation over schools and said no decision has been made yet to reopen schools or keep them closed. (The Tallahassee Democrat)
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