ambulance

noun

am·​bu·​lance ˈam-byə-lən(t)s How to pronounce ambulance (audio)
-bə-,
 also  -ˌlan(t)s
: a vehicle equipped for transporting the injured or sick

Examples of ambulance in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Additional staff would also enable the fire department to dispatch up to three ambulances at once and meet the growing need in Germantown for emergency medical services. Cathy Kozlowicz, Journal Sentinel, 7 Mar. 2024 The Arizona Humane Society has ambulances that will go around the Valley and pick up animals that have been found by police or members of the public that do not have an owner. Corina Vanek, The Arizona Republic, 6 Mar. 2024 After his bosses refused to call an ambulance, ​a fellow ​migrant worker ​rushed him to a hospital, where​ doctors found internal bleeding in his head and his skull fractured in three places. Choe Sang-Hun, New York Times, 2 Mar. 2024 Norwegian authorities haven't confirmed yet whether the Boeing 737-700 aircraft, which has previously been used as a flying ambulance, will pick up King Harald. Jari Tanner, Quartz, 2 Mar. 2024 The death toll and number of injured is expected to increase as many bodies and people are still out on the street, with ambulances struggling to reach those in need because rubble is blocking the way, the spokesperson for the Palestinian Red Crescent, Ahmad Abu Al Foul, told CNN. Jeremy Diamond, CNN, 1 Mar. 2024 The dispatcher instructed the caller on how to help stop the child’s bleeding while an ambulance was on the way to the scene, according to the report. Nicole Lopez, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Feb. 2024 Sprouse told the council the building has two large vehicle bays that would suit the new use as an ambulance station. Tom Sissom, arkansasonline.com, 28 Feb. 2024 The patient was taken to Kendall by a waiting ambulance, Keys Sheriff Rick Ramsay said. David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 22 Feb. 2024

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

Word History

Etymology

earlier, "mobile medical facility following troops in the field, corps of surgeons and assistants caring for wounded soldiers in the field," borrowed from French, from ambulant "mobile, itinerant" (borrowed from Latin ambulant-, ambulans, present participle of ambulāre "to go on foot, travel") + -ance -ance — more at amble entry 1

Note: As a name for a vehicle, in part short for ambulance wag(g)on and other collocations, probably after French wagon-ambulance, voiture d'ambulance, etc.

First Known Use

1825, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of ambulance was in 1825

Dictionary Entries Near ambulance

Cite this Entry

“Ambulance.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ambulance. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

ambulance

noun
am·​bu·​lance ˈam-byə-lən(t)s How to pronounce ambulance (audio)
: a vehicle that is equipped for transporting the injured or the sick
Etymology

from French ambulance "field hospital," from (hôpital) ambulant, literally "traveling hospital," derived from Latin ambulare "to walk" — related to amble

Word Origin
When the term ambulance first came into use, it did not refer to a vehicle. To meet the urgent needs of the wounded during war, the French about 200 years ago set up temporary movable hospitals close to the battlefields. They called such a hospital hôpital ambulant, meaning literally "walking hospital." The French adjective ambulant can be traced back to the Latin verb ambulare, meaning "to walk." In time the French dropped the word hôpital from the phrase and changed the adjective to the noun ambulance. This word was also later applied to the wagon used for transporting the wounded to the field hospital. Before long, the word ambulance came to be used for civilian temporary hospitals set up during emergencies and also for the vehicles used to take the sick and injured to the hospital. English borrowed the word from French to refer to such vehicles.

Medical Definition

ambulance

noun
am·​bu·​lance
ˈam-b(y)ə-lən(t)s also -ˌlan(t)s
: a vehicle equipped for transporting the injured or sick

More from Merriam-Webster on ambulance

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