triage

noun

tri·​age trē-ˈäzh  ˈtrē-ˌäzh 

1

a

: the sorting of and allocation of treatment to patients and especially battle and disaster victims according to a system of priorities designed to maximize the number of survivors

b

: the sorting of patients (as in an emergency room) according to the urgency of their need for care

2

: the assigning of priority order to projects on the basis of where funds and other resources can be best used, are most needed, or are most likely to achieve success

triage transitive verb

Examples of triage in a Sentence

Nurses do triage in the emergency room.

Recent Examples on the Web

Telemetry is collected, alerts are generated, analysts triage, correlation occurs and containment follows. —Ken Ammon, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026

According to the report, the nurse triage line could cost between $500,000 and $750,000 annually — funding Sylvia said the department does not have. —Reeti Malhotra may 29, Sacbee.com, 29 May 2026

Fraser’s blueprint was classic consultant-style triage—divest the sideshow businesses, simplify the org chart, and redirect capital to the divisions that could actually win. —Claire Zillman, Fortune, 27 May 2026

Shortly afterward, the male nurse came to the door of the triage room, and Grafton shot Samuelson in the neck, records state. —Jim Woods, Chicago Tribune, 26 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

French, sorting, sifting, from trier to sort, from Old French — more at try entry 1

First Known Use

1918, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Medical Definition

triage

noun

tri·​age trē-ˈäzh  ˈtrē-ˌ 

1

: the sorting of and allocation of treatment to patients and especially battle and disaster victims according to a system of priorities designed to maximize the number of survivors

2

: the sorting of patients (as in an emergency room) according to the urgency of their need for care

triage transitive verb