intensive care

American  

noun

1. the use of specialized equipment and personnel for continuous monitoring and care of the critically ill.

---

intensive care British  

noun

1. extensive and continuous care and treatment provided for an acutely ill patient, usually in a specially designated section ( intensive care unit ) of a hospital

---

Etymology

Origin of intensive care

First recorded in 1960–65

Example Sentences

The sick doctor received a monoclonal antibody treatment secured by HHS during transport and intensive care on arrival.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 3, 2026

Dr Phil Hopkins, intensive care consultant at King's, says feeling the natural elements is part of helping patients readjust when they've been "ripped from their reality" and institutionalised in hospital.

From BBC • May 29, 2026

Working in the intensive care unit, Waldorf had seen patients die with this exact combination of symptoms.

From Salon • May 27, 2026

Sixteen people had to be hospitalized, with 10 needing intensive care, and one person died, according to the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

From Los Angeles Times • May 18, 2026

She has worked high-stress assignments in telemetry— monitoring cardiac patients—and in the intensive care unit.

From "Class Matters" by The New York Times