intensive care unit
Americannoun
Etymology
Origin of intensive care unit
First recorded in 1960–65
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
If the virus severely affects the lungs, oxygen therapy in an intensive care unit may be necessary.
From Barron's • May 4, 2026
When asked why, she claimed it reminded her of being a baby in the neonatal intensive care unit and touching her parents’ hands through the small opening in her incubator.
From Salon • Apr. 29, 2026
After James was born, he spent four days in the neonatal intensive care unit, where he had to be tube-fed, and was put on a machine to help his breathing.
From BBC • Mar. 10, 2026
The woman was 7 months pregnant with the family’s third child, a girl, who died in a neonatal intensive care unit.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 6, 2026
The intensive care unit is this place where there are so many nurses, you can't hardly turn around without bumping into one, which I do as soon as we get there.
From "Freak The Mighty" by Rodman Philbrick
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
