defibrillator

noun

de·​fi·​bril·​la·​tor (ˌ)dē-ˈfi-brə-ˌlā-tər How to pronounce defibrillator (audio)
: an electronic device that applies an electric shock to restore the rhythm of a fibrillating heart
defibrillate transitive verb
defibrillation noun

Examples of defibrillator in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Placing defibrillator pads on the chest and back, rather than the usual method of putting two on the chest, increases the odds of surviving an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest by more than two-and-a-half times, according to a new study. New Atlas, 24 Sep. 2024 The cascade to sudden cardiac death can be treated, if caught immediately after its onset, using CPR to keep blood flowing through the body, an external defibrillator to reset the heart rhythm, and medications to restore the heart’s normal rhythms. Lori Oliwenstein, TIME, 12 Sep. 2024 Buckeye police responded to reports of an unresponsive child in an area near 212th Lane and Granada Road around 5 p.m. Officers tried to revive her with chest compressions and a defibrillator until paramedics arrived. Stephanie Innes, The Arizona Republic, 9 Sep. 2024 Up-and-coming artists in the seaside town of Worthing in the UK have raised hundreds of pounds for a community defibrillator by painting pizza boxes. The Editors Of Artnews, ARTnews.com, 7 Aug. 2024 See all Example Sentences for defibrillator 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'defibrillator.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1952, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of defibrillator was in 1952

Dictionary Entries Near defibrillator

Cite this Entry

“Defibrillator.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/defibrillator. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Medical Definition

defibrillator

noun
de·​fi·​bril·​la·​tor (ˈ)dē-ˈfib-rə-ˌlāt-ər How to pronounce defibrillator (audio) -ˈfīb- How to pronounce defibrillator (audio)
: an electronic device used to defibrillate a heart by applying an electric shock to it

More from Merriam-Webster on defibrillator

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