triage

noun tri·age \trē-ˈäzh, ˈtrē-ˌ\

medical : the process of deciding which patients should be treated first based on how sick or seriously injured they are

Full Definition of TRIAGE

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

: 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

See triage defined for English-language learners

Origin of TRIAGE

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

First Known Use: 1918

Other Medicine Terms

analgesia, angina, diabetes, hepatitis, homeopathy, logorrhea, palliate, pandemic

Rhymes with TRIAGE

barrage, collage, corsage, dressage, frottage, garage, gavage, lavage, massage, ménage, mirage, montage, moulage, portage, potage, treillage

Medical Dictionary

triage

noun tri·age \trē-ˈäzh, ˈtrē-ˌ\

Medical Definition of TRIAGE

: 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

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

—triage transitive verb