defibrillator
UK: diːˈfɪbrɪleɪtə | US: diˈfɪbrɪleɪtər
n. a medical device used to deliver an electric shock to the heart to restore normal rhythm, typically in cases of cardiac arrest or life-threatening arrhythmias.
defibrillator = de<remove> + fibrill<fiber> + ator<noun suffix, agent>
- de<remove>: Latin prefix meaning "remove" or "reverse."
- fibrill<fiber>: From Latin fibrilla (diminutive of fibra, "fiber"), referring to the uncontrolled twitching of muscle fibers during fibrillation.
- ator<noun suffix>: Latin agent suffix indicating a device or person that performs an action.
Etymology Origin:
The word defibrillator originates from the medical term fibrillation, which describes chaotic, unsynchronized contractions of heart muscle fibers. The prefix de- implies stopping or reversing this condition. Combined with -ator, it forms a noun for a device that counteracts fibrillation by delivering controlled electric shocks. The term reflects the device's function—literally "removing fibrillation."
The doctor used a defibrillator to restart the patient's heart.
Modern defibrillators are portable and can be used by trained bystanders.
The AED (Automated External Defibrillator) guided the rescuer through the process.
Without a defibrillator, the chances of surviving cardiac arrest drop significantly.
Hospitals maintain defibrillators in critical care units for emergencies.