intensive care unit

American  

noun

1. the specialized center in a hospital where intensive care is provided. ICU

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Etymology

Origin of intensive care unit

First recorded in 1960–65

Example Sentences

Intensive care unit beds were filling up in hospitals.

From New York Times • Jan. 19, 2022

Intensive care unit beds, meanwhile, are more available than they were during the Delta variant’s peak.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 13, 2022

Intensive care unit capacity there remains low, but Chin-Hong and his colleagues have started discussing the practicalities of taking in patients from regions that have no remaining ICU beds.

From The Guardian • Jan. 24, 2021

Intensive care unit nurse Whisty Taylor remembers the moment she learned one of her colleagues — a young, active nurse — was hospitalized on their floor and intubated.

From Seattle Times • Dec. 13, 2020

Intensive care unit beds are running low in several Louisiana regions, and public health experts worry that hospitals will be overwhelmed with more patients than they can handle.

From Washington Times • Dec. 10, 2020