paramedic

noun

para·​med·​ic ˌper-ə-ˈme-dik 

ˌpa-rə-

variants or less commonly paramedical

ˌper-ə-ˈme-di-kəl 

ˌpa-rə-

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

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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

Ocean Rescue lifeguards gave the boy first aid, and paramedics took him to Broward Health Medical Center to be treated for minor injuries, Guzman said. —David Goodhue july 3, Miami Herald, 3 July 2025

The letter says operators also must submit a First Responder Interaction Plan to the Department of Public Safety, which is to detail how police, firefighters and paramedics should interact with the vehicle and reach fleet support. —Karoline Leonard, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025

Synan called it a simple but powerful tool that allows police officers, paramedics and firefighters to save the lives of those struggling with chronic substance use issues and college students who mistakenly take pills contaminated by fentanyl. —Elizabeth B. Kim, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025

Swaggart was hospitalized on June 15 after going into cardiac arrest and being treated by paramedics, the televangelist's son, Donnie, told congregants that day at the Family Worship Center Church in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. —Bob Smietana, NPR, 1 July 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1967, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for paramedic

• medic

Kids Definition

paramedic

noun

para·​med·​ic ˌpar-ə-ˈmed-ik 

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 

variants also paramedical

-i-kəl 

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