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.
The Northern Ireland Ambulance Service said it received a 999 call at about 19:28 BST and a rapid response paramedic and ambulance crew attended the scene.
From BBC ● Aug. 12, 2026
His mom is an ER nurse, and his dad is a paramedic.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 5, 2026
He then explained that by swiping left, calls are placed in the stack requiring further triage by a nurse or paramedic, but a swipe right means they're in the wait for an ambulance.
From BBC ● Jul. 15, 2026
He worked for 16 years as a paramedic before taking the helm of family farmland that his grandparents left behind.
From Salon ● Jun. 22, 2026
He’s a paramedic and sees a lot of gross stuff, so he knows about getting things out of your head.
From "Red Kayak" by Priscilla Cummings
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.
