ambulance

noun

am·​bu·​lance ˈam-byə-lən(t)s How to pronounce ambulance (audio)
-bə-,
 also  -ˌlan(t)s
: a vehicle equipped for transporting the injured or sick

Examples of ambulance in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web MedStar, the region’s ambulance service, took the victims to a hospital. —Nicole Lopez, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Apr. 2024 The ambulance service did not immediately respond Wednesday morning to USA TODAY's request for comment. —Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 24 Apr. 2024 See all Example Sentences for ambulance 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ambulance.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

earlier, "mobile medical facility following troops in the field, corps of surgeons and assistants caring for wounded soldiers in the field," borrowed from French, from ambulant "mobile, itinerant" (borrowed from Latin ambulant-, ambulans, present participle of ambulāre "to go on foot, travel") + -ance -ance — more at amble entry 1

Note: As a name for a vehicle, in part short for ambulance wag(g)on and other collocations, probably after French wagon-ambulance, voiture d'ambulance, etc.

First Known Use

1825, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of ambulance was in 1825

Phrases Containing ambulance

Dictionary Entries Near ambulance

ambulacrum

ambulance

ambulance chaser

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Ambulance.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ambulance. Accessed 4 May. 2024.

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Kids Definition

ambulance

noun
am·​bu·​lance ˈam-byə-lən(t)s How to pronounce ambulance (audio)
: a vehicle that is equipped for transporting the injured or the sick
Etymology

from French ambulance "field hospital," from (hôpital) ambulant, literally "traveling hospital," derived from Latin ambulare "to walk" — related to amble

Word Origin
When the term ambulance first came into use, it did not refer to a vehicle. To meet the urgent needs of the wounded during war, the French about 200 years ago set up temporary movable hospitals close to the battlefields. They called such a hospital hôpital ambulant, meaning literally "walking hospital." The French adjective ambulant can be traced back to the Latin verb ambulare, meaning "to walk." In time the French dropped the word hôpital from the phrase and changed the adjective to the noun ambulance. This word was also later applied to the wagon used for transporting the wounded to the field hospital. Before long, the word ambulance came to be used for civilian temporary hospitals set up during emergencies and also for the vehicles used to take the sick and injured to the hospital. English borrowed the word from French to refer to such vehicles.

Medical Definition

ambulance

noun
am·​bu·​lance
ˈam-b(y)ə-lən(t)s also -ˌlan(t)s
: a vehicle equipped for transporting the injured or sick

More from Merriam-Webster on ambulance

Nglish: Translation of ambulance for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of ambulance for Arabic Speakers

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