medevac

or Med·e·vac, med·i·vac

[ med-uh-vak ]

noun

1. a helicopter for evacuating the wounded from a battlefield.
2. an ambulance or other vehicle equipped for emergency transport of medical patients.
3. any of the trained personnel transporting or otherwise tending to the sick or wounded in a medevac.

verb (used with object)

, med·e·vacked, med·e·vack·ing.

1. to transport (sick or wounded persons) by medevac.

medevac

/ ˈmɛdɪˌvæk /

noun

1. military the evacuation of casualties from forward areas to the nearest hospital or base
2. a helicopter used for transporting wounded or sick people to hospital

verb

1. tr to transport (a wounded or sick person) to hospital by medevac

Word History and Origins

Origin of medevac¹

1965–70, Americanism; med(ical) evac(uation) ; presumably by ellipsis from medevac helicopter

Word History and Origins

Origin of medevac¹

C20: from med ( ical ) evac ( uation )

Example Sentences

Dan Anderson, an instructor pilot for Cal Fire, spent decades in the Army and flew medevac helicopters in Iraq and Afghanistan.

From Los Angeles Times

Others became suicide bombers or shot at a medevac helicopter.

From New York Times

He had visited some of those places during the Vietnam War when, in 1967 and 1968, he was an Army helicopter medevac pilot and earned the Distinguished Flying Cross for his valor.

From New York Times

At the base hospital, they saw that his spinal cord was swollen and called for a medevac, but the base was under attack and no helicopters could fly in or out.

From New York Times

While they were configured as medevac aircraft, Army officials at Fort Campbell, Kentucky said they weren’t on a medical mission at the time.

From Washington Times