tourniquet

noun

tour·​ni·​quet ˈtu̇r-ni-kət  ˈtər- 

: a device (such as a band of rubber) that checks bleeding or blood flow by compressing blood vessels

Examples of tourniquet in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

So, the team turned to a second cohort of 99 participants who experienced a temporary loss of pulse when a tourniquet tightened on their arm. —IEEE Spectrum, 11 Mar. 2025

On the morning of the accident Pebley actually had a full first-aid kit on board with a tourniquet included. —Alex Robinson, Outdoor Life, 26 Feb. 2025

One friend was able to pull Decker out of the water and used rope and a towel to create a tourniquet for her leg wound. —Abigail Adams, People.com, 11 Feb. 2025

Officers applied tourniquets to stop the bleeding until fire department personnel transported the man to Northwest Health-Portage. —Post-Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 5 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

French, turnstile, tourniquet, from tourner to turn, from Old French — more at turn

First Known Use

1695, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

tourniquet

noun

tour·​ni·​quet ˈtu̇r-ni-kət  ˈtər- 

: a device (as a band of rubber) used to stop or slow bleeding or blood flow by compressing blood vessels

Medical Definition

tourniquet

noun

tour·​ni·​quet ˈtu̇r-ni-kət  ˈtər- 

: a device (as a bandage twisted tight with a stick) to check bleeding or blood flow