paramedic

¹

[par-uh-med-ik]

noun

1. a person who is trained to assist a physician or to give first aid or other healthcare in the absence of a physician, often as part of a police, rescue, or firefighting squad.

paramedic

²

[par-uh-med-ik, par-uh-med-, par-uh-med-ik]

noun

1. Military.,  a medic in the paratroops.

2. a doctor who parachutes into remote areas to give medical care.

adjective

1. of or relating to a paramedic or to paramedics.

paramedic

/ ˌpærəˈmedɪk /

noun

1. a person, such as a laboratory technician, who supplements the work of the medical profession

2. a member of an ambulance crew trained in a number of life-saving skills, including infusion and cardiac care

adjective

1. of or designating such a person

Word History and Origins

Origin of paramedic¹

An Americanism dating back to 1950–55; para- ¹ + medic ¹

Origin of paramedic²

An Americanism dating back to 1950–55; para- ³ + medic ¹

Example Sentences

When paramedics arrived, three further socks were removed from her throat.

Read more on BBC

Two of the victims were taken to Harbor General Hospital for non-life-threatening injuries, and the third victim was treated at the scene by paramedics with the Torrance Fire Department.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

She regained consciousness thanks to a slap across the face and was told paramedics were on their way.

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Navalnaya said that when an ambulance finally arrived, paramedics attempted in vain to resuscitate him.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

In April, paramedic Oleksiy Alferov was checking the blood pressure of a man injured by a Russian drone when another struck the ambulance he was working in.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• nurse