Livido vs. contusione
The Italian words 'livido' and 'contusione' both refer to bruises, but they have subtle differences in usage and connotation.
Livido
'Livido' is an adjective that describes the discoloration of the skin due to a bruise. It often refers to the bluish or purplish color of the bruise itself.
Ho un livido sul braccio dopo essere caduto.
(I have a bruise on my arm after falling.)
Il suo occhio era livido a causa del pugno.
(His eye was bruised because of the punch.)
La pelle livida indicava un grave trauma.
(The bruised skin indicated a severe trauma.)
Contusione
'Contusione' is a noun that refers to the actual injury or medical condition of a bruise. It focuses more on the physical damage to the tissues rather than just the appearance.
Il dottore ha diagnosticato una contusione alla spalla.
(The doctor diagnosed a bruise on the shoulder.)
Ha riportato diverse contusioni nell'incidente.
(He suffered several bruises in the accident.)
La contusione al ginocchio richiedeva impacchi di ghiaccio.
(The knee bruise required ice packs.)
Summary
While 'livido' emphasizes the visual aspect of a bruise, particularly its color, 'contusione' refers to the actual injury. 'Livido' is typically used in everyday language to describe visible bruises, whereas 'contusione' is often used in more formal or medical contexts to discuss the physical damage caused by bruising.