Skip to main content

intensive care unit — a specialized hospital unit that provides intensive medical treatment for critically ill patients requiring constant monitoring

Part of speech: NOUN

Definition: a specialized hospital unit that provides intensive medical treatment for critically ill patients requiring constant monitoring

Pronunciation (IPA): /ɪnˈtensɪv kɛr ˈjunɪt/

Example Sentences

  • The superhero was rushed to the intensive care unit after battling the villain with explosive pizza powers.
  • She spent three days in the intensive care unit before making a full recovery.
  • The hospital's intensive care unit was so high-tech, even the coffee machine required a medical degree to operate.

intensive care unit

NOUN

[/ɪnˈtensɪv kɛr ˈjunɪt/]

a specialized hospital unit that provides intensive medical treatment for critically ill patients requiring constant monitoring

Doctors race to stabilize a patient in the hospital's intensive care unit.
💡 Concept

Doctors race to stabilize a patient in the hospital's intensive care unit.

Even in the intensive care unit, there blooms beauty
🎵 Rhyme

Even in the intensive care unit, there blooms beauty

Got the picture? Now let's practice.

🎤Pronunciation

🇺🇸 US/ɪnˈtensɪv kɛr ˈjunɪt/
🇬🇧 UK/ɪnˈtensɪv kɛə ˈjuːnɪt/

🌳Etymology

Rootintensive

Origin

Intensive care unit emerged in the mid-20th century alongside advances in modern medical technology. The term combines three English components: 'intensive' (from Latin intensus, meaning 'stretched or strained'), 'care' (from Old French carie, meaning 'concern or attention'), and 'unit' (from Latin unitas, meaning 'oneness or a single thing'). The phrase denotes a specialized hospital ward providing concentrated medical monitoring and treatment for critically ill patients.

Breakdown

intensive (from Latin intensus: stretched, strained, concentrated) + care (from Old French carie: concern, attention, medical treatment) + unit (from Latin unitas: a single thing, division). Together, the compound describes a dedicated medical facility providing concentrated, specialized care.

🎵Rhyme

unit
beauty
duty

🔗Collocations

admit to ICU
ICU patient
discharge from ICU
ICU bed
pediatric ICU
ICU monitoring

📝Examples

😄 Fun example

“The superhero was rushed to the intensive care unit after battling the villain with explosive pizza powers.”

“She spent three days in the intensive care unit before making a full recovery.”

😄 Fun example

“The hospital's intensive care unit was so high-tech, even the coffee machine required a medical degree to operate.”

“Medical students often feel overwhelmed during their first rotation in the intensive care unit.”

📚Related Words

Want to master 27,000+ words?

Sign up free for flashcards & quizzes.