emergency

e-mer-gen-cy · noun

imported

Definitions

noun

  1. 1.

    A serious, unexpected, and often dangerous situation requiring immediate action.

  2. 2.

    A condition of urgent need for action or assistance.

  3. 3.

    (Attributive) Used or reserved for emergencies.

Forms

plural: emergencies

Phrases & expressions

  • •
    state of emergency — an official declaration of a crisis situation
  • •
    emergency room (ER) — the hospital department for urgent cases
  • •
    emergency services — police, fire, and medical response teams
  • •
    in case of emergency — a phrase indicating what to do in urgent situations

Related words

Antonyms: normality, routine
See also: crisis, disaster, emergencies, urgent
Synonyms: catastrophe, crisis, disaster, urgency

Etymology

From Latin emergere ("to rise up, come forth"), via Medieval Latin emergentia. The word entered English in the 17th century.