paramedic

noun

para·​med·​ic ˌper-ə-ˈme-dik How to pronounce paramedic (audio)
ˌpa-rə-
variants or less commonly paramedical
1
: a person who works in a health field in an auxiliary capacity to a physician (as by giving injections and taking X-rays)
2
: a specially trained medical technician licensed to provide a wide range of emergency services (such as defibrillation and the intravenous administration of drugs) before or during transportation to a hospital compare emt

Did you know?

The History of Paramedic

In ground warfare, wounded troops must usually be transported from the front lines back to field hospitals, and trained paramedical personnel—that is, nondoctors, usually known as medics or corpsmen—were first widely used in such situations. It took many decades for the wartime model to be applied effectively to ordinary peacetime medicine. With advances in medical technology (such as defibrillators, for restarting a heart after a heart attack), paramedics became an essential part of emergency medicine, and today hundreds of thousands of people owe their lives to paramedics. Paraprofessionals who work only in hospitals and clinics usually go by other titles.

Examples of paramedic in a Sentence

She's training to be a paramedic.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Officers begin performing life-saving measures until paramedics arrive, the video shows. Caleb Lunetta, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 June 2025 An altercation allegedly took place between the paramedic and a patient in the back of an ambulance, Nolan said. Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 20 June 2025 Every cubic inch is needed if the paramedics are going to squeeze in their medical kit, their personal belongings, a full set of car repair tools, extra tires to deal with breakdowns, and other critical gear. Dominique Soguel, Christian Science Monitor, 17 June 2025 Minutes later, paramedics made an appearance at the camp to investigate and soon left after it was determined that Miller was fine. Jeff Vorva, Chicago Tribune, 15 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for paramedic

Word History

First Known Use

1967, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of paramedic was in 1967

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Paramedic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/paramedic. Accessed 1 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

paramedic

noun
para·​med·​ic ˌpar-ə-ˈmed-ik How to pronounce paramedic (audio)
1
: a person who works in a health field by helping a physician (as by taking X-rays or giving injections)
2
: a specially trained person with a license to provide a wide range of emergency services (as the giving of intravenous drugs) before or during transport to a hospital
Etymology

from para- "alongside of, associated with in a secondary or assisting role" and medic "a person trained in or studying medical work"; para- derived from Greek para "beside, alongside of" and medic from Latin medicus "physician"

Medical Definition

paramedic

noun
para·​med·​ic ˌpar-ə-ˈmed-ik How to pronounce paramedic (audio)
variants also paramedical
1
: a person who works in a health field in an auxiliary capacity to a physician (as by giving injections and taking X-rays)
2
: a specially trained medical technician certified to provide a wide range of emergency medical services (as defibrillation and the intravenous administration of drugs) before or during transport to the hospital compare emt

More from Merriam-Webster on paramedic

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!