critical condition

American  

[krit-i-kuhl kuhn-dish-uhn] / ˈkrɪt ɪ kəl kənˈdɪʃ ən /

noun

1. Medicine/Medical.  an unstable state, resulting from severe illness or injury, in which the patient’s vital signs and other symptoms indicate a significant risk of death.

   An 80-year-old man with serious head injuries was rushed from the accident scene to the hospital, where he remains in critical condition.

2. a state of serious disrepair or disarray.

   After years of underfunding, the city’s infrastructure is in critical condition.

---

Etymology

Origin of critical condition

First recorded in 1860–65 critical condition for def. 1; 1950–55 critical condition for def. 2

Example Sentences

The SUV’s 34-year-old male driver — the sole person in the vehicle — was taken to a local trauma center and was in critical condition, Middleton said.

From Los Angeles Times

"He's still in critical condition. We are doing everything we can to assist his family."

From Barron's

Andrew Wolfe, remains in critical condition.

From Salon

He remains in critical condition, officials said on Thursday morning.

From BBC

At least 12 survivors remained in critical condition, with hospital authorities describing the state of a further 28 as "serious".

From Barron's