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intensive care

American

noun

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

intensive care British

noun

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

"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

Etymology

Origin of intensive care

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.

See Examples For:

intensive care

People with high-risk biological profiles such as cluster 5 may require more intensive care or treatments designed to address their specific metabolic problems.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 28, 2026

At the hospital Addy was given a dose of antivenom then transferred to another medical facility that had a pediatric intensive care unit.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2026

For the entirety of his short life at the neonatal intensive care unit, he had the cannula through his nose to facilitate his breathing and a feeding tube between his lips.

From Slate ● Jul. 19, 2026

They were evacuated and taken to hospital where they are in intensive care.

From BBC ● Jul. 12, 2026

If laughing was hazardous to your health, I’d be in intensive care right now.

From "Crash" by Jerry Spinelli

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023