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 event hall's defibrillator was used. —Erin Clack, PEOPLE, 3 Feb. 2026

Doctors needed to shock him with a defibrillator three times to keep him stable. —Kerry Breen, CBS News, 31 Jan. 2026

The singer also shared that doctors have told him to prepare for the possibility of getting a pacemaker or defibrillator, following a check-up in two weeks. —Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Jan. 2026

That can change if a patient has an implantable cardioverter defibrillator, or ICD, which shocks the heart back to beating normally. —Ciara McCarthy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Jan. 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