paramedic
1 Americannoun
noun
-
Military. a medic in the paratroops.
-
a doctor who parachutes into remote areas to give medical care.
adjective
noun
-
a person, such as a laboratory technician, who supplements the work of the medical profession
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a member of an ambulance crew trained in a number of life-saving skills, including infusion and cardiac care
adjective
Etymology
Origin of paramedic1
An Americanism dating back to 1950–55; para- 1 + medic 1
Origin of paramedic2
Explanation
A paramedic is someone trained to assist medical professionals. The workers in an ambulance are paramedics. Just as a paralegal works with the law but isn't a lawyer, a paramedic is involved with medicine while not quite being a nurse or doctor. Rather, paramedics help doctors and nurses: paramedics are assistants. Paramedics are most well-known for working in ambulances. If you have a medical emergency — such as choking or a heart attack — paramedics will be there to help if you call 911. Paramedics save many lives every day.
Vocabulary lists containing paramedic
Red Kayak
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"Harbor Me" by Jacqueline Woodson
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Forged by Fire
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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.
A firefighter paramedic said he expressed concern that control lines were not well-defined, and also identified a hot spot.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 2, 2026
The Scottish Ambulance Service said it had dispatched three ambulances, two special operations response teams, a paramedic response unit and a critical care paramedic.
From BBC ● Sep. 8, 2026
“I want to be a firefighter in the future, hopefully go through paramedic school,” he said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 17, 2026
Ryan Briggs, 46, from Haverfordwest in Pembrokeshire, spent 23 years in the Royal Air Force, completing tours of Iraq and Afghanistan, before joining the NHS as a paramedic during the Covid-19 pandemic.
From BBC ● Aug. 5, 2026
The paramedic and a police officer looked into the back of the ambulance.
From "Forged by Fire" by Sharon M. Draper
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.
