stretcher

1 of 2

noun

stretch·​er ˈstre-chər 

1

a

: one that stretches

especially : a device or machine for stretching or expanding something

b

: an exaggerated story : a tall tale

2

a

: a brick or stone laid with its length parallel to the face of the wall

b

: a timber or rod used especially when horizontal as a tie in framed work

3

: a device for carrying a sick, injured, or dead person

4

: a rod or bar extending between two legs of a chair or table

stretcher

2 of 2

verb

stretchered; stretchering; stretchers

transitive verb

: to carry or transport on a stretcher

Examples of stretcher in a Sentence

Noun

They carried her out to the ambulance on a stretcher.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Later, a person is seen being taken into an ambulance on a stretcher. —People Staff, People.com, 5 Dec. 2024

The two largest sculptures (SCENE 1 and SCENE 2, both 2024) rested flat on the floor, their tan velvet curtains billowing in unlikely swags over aluminum armatures that resembled painting stretchers. —Ellen Y. Tani, Artforum, 1 Dec. 2024

Verb

The stool features stability stretchers on the base that double as footrests and create visual interest. —Addie Morton, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 Jan. 2024

Downstairs, the hospital’s E.R. was in full, frenetic swing—the nurses drawing blood, the techs gathering vital signs, the doctors migrating from stretcher to stretcher in small teams. —Ricardo Nuila, The New Yorker, 9 Mar. 2023

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1973, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

stretcher

noun

stretch·​er

ˈstrech-ər

1

: one that stretches

especially : a device or machine for stretching or expanding something

2

: a device that resembles a cot and is used for carrying a sick, injured, or dead person

Medical Definition

stretcher

noun

stretch·​er ˈstrech-ər 

: a device for carrying a sick, injured, or dead person