tourniquet

noun

tour·​ni·​quet ˈtu̇r-ni-kət  ˈtər- 

: a device (such as a band of rubber) that checks bleeding or blood flow by compressing blood vessels

Examples of tourniquet in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The officer applied a tourniquet to control the bleeding until emergency crews arrived and took the man to the hospital, police said. —Wren Smetana, AZCentral.com, 19 Dec. 2025

Officers applied a tourniquet to the man’s arm, and paramedics took him to University of Louisville Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. —Monroe Trombly, Louisville Courier Journal, 15 Dec. 2025

Richards was leaning against the Dairy Queen building and officers applied a tourniquet to his leg. —Mara H. Gottfried, Twin Cities, 3 Dec. 2025

Bystanders reportedly used a makeshift tourniquet to wrap the man’s leg before emergency responders arrived, authorities told the BBC. —Gabrielle Rockson, PEOPLE, 27 Nov. 2025

Word History

Etymology

French, turnstile, tourniquet, from tourner to turn, from Old French — more at turn

First Known Use

1695, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

tourniquet

noun

tour·​ni·​quet ˈtu̇r-ni-kət  ˈtər- 

: a device (as a band of rubber) used to stop or slow bleeding or blood flow by compressing blood vessels

Medical Definition

tourniquet

noun

tour·​ni·​quet ˈtu̇r-ni-kət  ˈtər- 

: a device (as a bandage twisted tight with a stick) to check bleeding or blood flow