Obtunded refers to a patient who's less than full mental capacity, typically as a result of a medical condition or trauma. The root word, obtund, means dulled or less sharp. When a medic first assesses a patient, she/he's checking to see if the person's "A&O times 3", which means they're alert and oriented, and knows who he's, where he's located, the current time. If the patient has any difficulty answering these questions, the medic may say he's obtunded or "A&O times 2" and so on.… (More on Obtundation)