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

Medics who had already arrived at the scene ran to assist the officer who was laying on the ground and another IMPD officer applied a tourniquet to Shane's gunshot wound. —Jade Jackson, The Indianapolis Star, 31 Dec. 2024

Police officers who arrived to the scene first tried to control the bleeding with tourniquets. —CBS News, 1 Nov. 2024

Slaton reportedly had a deep cut on her arm and used a shirt as a tourniquet until the EMTs took over. —Benedict Cosgrove, Newsweek, 20 Dec. 2024

One person had caution tape wrapped around an injury as a tourniquet, said Matt Riester, a TeamHealth physician who oversees the emergency department at the hospital. —Beth Warren, The Tennessean, 20 Dec. 2024

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