emergency
UK /ɪˈmɜː(ɹ).dʒən.si/ · US /ɪˈmɝ.d͡ʒən.si/ noun, proper noun
Forms emergencies the Emergency emergence
- noun (sometimes attributive) A situation which poses an immediate risk and which requires urgent attention. “Cardiac arrest is an emergency requiring medical attention.”
- noun The department of a hospital that treats emergencies.
- noun A person brought in at short notice to replace a member of staff, a player in a sporting team, etc.
- noun (archaic) The quality of being emergent; sudden or unexpected appearance; an unforeseen occurrence.
- noun (euphemistic) A critical urge to urinate or defecate.
- proper noun (historical, Ireland) World War II as experienced in Ireland.
- proper noun (historical, Malaysia, euphemistic) the Malayan Emergency as experienced in Malaysia.
Synonyms
ER casualty emerg exigency pinch hand brake emergency brake parking brake
Etymology
Borrowed from Medieval Latin emergentia, from Latin emergens, present participle of emergo (“to emerge, arise, come forth”), equivalent to emergent + -cy or emerge + -ency. Doublet of emergence.
Sense 2 referred to the conflict between the British and Malaysians against communist guerillas, because London-based insurers would not pay out in instances of civil wars.
Webster’s 1913
- noun Sudden or unexpected appearance; an unforeseen occurrence; a sudden occasion.
- noun An unforeseen occurrence or combination of circumstances which calls for immediate action or remedy; pressing necessity; exigency.
Etymology [See Emergence.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “emergency”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details