defibrillator

noun

de·​fi·​bril·​la·​tor (ˌ)dē-ˈfi-brə-ˌlā-tər 

: an electronic device that applies an electric shock to restore the rhythm of a fibrillating heart

defibrillate

(ˌ)dē-ˈfi-brə-ˌlāt 

transitive verb

defibrillation

(ˌ)dē-ˌfi-brə-ˈlā-shən 

noun

Examples of defibrillator in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The Spanish soccer federation regulations say that the home team must have at least one doctor on site, and that the home club must have an ambulance equipped with life support, including a defibrillator, at the ready. — ABC News, 4 Nov. 2026

When Apa collapsed, a bystander performed CPR and race staff used a defibrillator. — Jen Christensen, CNN Money, 4 Nov. 2026

New York Road Runners, the nonprofit club that stages the race, said in a news release that a bystander administered CPR to Apa, and event medical staffers also did CPR and used a defibrillator. — Larry Neumeister, Chicago Tribune, 3 Nov. 2026

The New York Road Runners, the marathon organizers, told the Times that marathon medical staff arrived soon after and used a defibrillator to try to revive Apa. — Angelica Stabile, FOXNews.com, 3 Nov. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1952, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for defibrillator

• accelerator
• accumulator
• adjudicator
• administrator
• appropriator
• articulator
• attenuator
• bronchodilator
• collaborator
• communicator
• conciliator
• cooperator

Medical Definition

defibrillator

noun

de·​fi·​bril·​la·​tor (ˈ)dē-ˈfib-rə-ˌlāt-ər  -ˈfīb- 

: an electronic device used to defibrillate a heart by applying an electric shock to it