candy striper

noun

: a usually teenage volunteer worker at a hospital

Examples of candy striper in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Big needs heart surgery (insert metaphor of your choice here), prompting Carrie to have an emotional breakdown and dress up like a candy striper to visit him. Jennifer Keishin Armstrong, Vulture, 1 Apr. 2024 In hospitals, candy stripers are selfless volunteers. Lesley Evans Ogden, New York Times, 11 Mar. 2023 Before becoming a full-time hair aesthetician, Ahmad went to nursing school for a few years, worked as a candy striper at Mercy Hospital in Miami and spent a year working at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. Ana Faguy, baltimoresun.com, 31 Aug. 2020 Copeland volunteered as a child, in the community, in school and as a candy striper in a hospital. cleveland.com, 30 June 2019

Word History

Etymology

from the striped uniform worn suggesting the stripes on some sticks of candy

First Known Use

1951, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of candy striper was in 1951

Dictionary Entries Near candy striper

Cite this Entry

“Candy striper.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/candy%20striper. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.

Medical Definition

candy striper

noun
can·​dy strip·​er ˈkan-dē-ˌstrī-pər How to pronounce candy striper (audio)
: a usually teenage volunteer worker at a hospital
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!