medevac

or Med·e·vac, med·i·vac

[ med-uh-vak ]

/ ˈmɛd əˌvæk /

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noun

a helicopter for evacuating the wounded from a battlefield.

an ambulance or other vehicle equipped for emergency transport of medical patients.

any of the trained personnel transporting or otherwise tending to the sick or wounded in a medevac.

verb (used with object), med·e·vacked, med·e·vack·ing.

to transport (sick or wounded persons) by medevac.

QUIZ

THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?

Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.

Question 1 of 7

In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…

candystring

candyfloss

candypuff

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Origin of medevac

1965–70, Americanism;med(ical)evac(uation); presumably by ellipsis from medevac helicopter

Words nearby medevac

meddle, meddlesome, Mede, Medea, Medellín, medevac, Medfield, medfly, Medford, Med. Gr., media

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use medevac in a sentence

Who can forget Lindsey Vonn dangling from a Medevac helicopter after her 2013 season-ending crash?
Skiing Prodigy Mikaela Shiffrin Looks Ahead to Sochi|Jake Bright|December 1, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Within minutes the medevac helicopter flew him to the nearby surgical center at Forward Operating Base Solerno.
Remember the Living|Brian Castner|May 26, 2013|DAILY BEAST
My team would have dragged me out and guarded my body until the medevac arrived to carry me to the morgue.
America’s Lost Decade in Iraq: A Marine Officer Looks Back|Benjamin Busch|March 19, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Maj. Mary Hegar flew Medevac missions to rescue wounded soldiers.
ACLU Suit: Allowing Women in Combat Is About Equality and Recognition|Gayle Tzemach Lemmon|November 29, 2012|DAILY BEAST

He has deployed to Iraq twice and completed a tour in Afghanistan as a Medevac pilot-in-command and air mission commander.
The Hero Summit Speakers List||November 14, 2012|DAILY BEAST

British Dictionary definitions for medevac

medevac

/ (ˈmɛdɪˌvæk) /

noun

military the evacuation of casualties from forward areas to the nearest hospital or base

a helicopter used for transporting wounded or sick people to hospital

verb -vacs, -vacking or -vacked

(tr) to transport (a wounded or sick person) to hospital by medevac

Word Origin for medevac

C20: from med (ical) evac (uation)

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012