Heimlich maneuver

/ˈhaɪm.lɪk.məˌnuːvə(ɹ)//ˈhaɪm.lɪx.məˌnuːvə(ɹ)/

noun

A first aid procedure used to treat choking. The patient is lifted from behind, squeezing their diaphragm to expel air and thereby dislodging an obstruction in the windpipe.

Similar
HeimlichHeimlich manoeuvre
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Meanings

nounHeimlich maneuver (plural Heimlich maneuvers)

plural Heimlich maneuvers · alternative Heimlich manoeuver · alternative Heimlich manoeuvre

  1. emergency medicineA first aid procedure used to treat choking. The patient is lifted from behind, squeezing their diaphragm to expel air and thereby dislodging an obstruction in the windpipe.

    There's a story I've been told several times of a dinner at London's Balthazar several years ago, at which assembled guests fell silent as Larry Gagosian[…]visibly choked on his food. Within seconds, another diner had pulled Gagosian to his feet and was performing the Heimlich manoeuvre.

    2025 June 14, Orlando Whitfield, “How to survive a gallery dinner (and not embarrass yourself)”, in FT Weekend (Collecting section), London: The Financial Times Ltd., →ISSN, →OCLC, page 10

    Synonyms: Heimlich

Synonyms & antonyms

nounA first aid procedure used to treat choking. The patient is lifted from behind, squeezing their diaphragm to expel air and thereby dislodging an obstruction in the windpipe.

Similar
Heimlich

More synonyms by meaning

nounan emergency procedure to help someone who is choking because food is lodged in the trachea

Similar
Heimlich manoeuvre
Broader
emergency procedure

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

Named after American physician Henry Heimlich (1920–2016), who described the procedure in 1974.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Arabic ضَغْطَات البَطْن, مُناوَرَة هَيْمْلِيك
  • ضَغْطَات البَطْن (ḍaḡṭāt al-baṭn)first aid procedure used to treat choking
  • مُناوَرَة هَيْمْلِيكfirst aid procedure used to treat choking
  • مُناوَرَة هَيْمْلِيخfirst aid procedure used to treat choking
  • مُناوَرَة هَيْمْلِيشfirst aid procedure used to treat choking
Chinese Mandarin 哈姆立克急救法
  • 哈姆立克急救法 (Hāmǔlìkè jíjiùfǎ)first aid procedure used to treat choking
Dutch heimlichmanoeuvre
  • heimlichmanoeuvrefirst aid procedure used to treat choking
Estonian Heimlichi võte
  • Heimlichi võtefirst aid procedure used to treat choking
Finnish Heimlichin ote
  • Heimlichin otefirst aid procedure used to treat choking
German Heimlich-Manöver, Heimlich-Griff
  • Heimlich-Manöverfirst aid procedure used to treat choking
  • Heimlich-Grifffirst aid procedure used to treat choking
Italian manovra di Heimlich
  • manovra di Heimlichfirst aid procedure used to treat choking
Japanese ハイムリック法
  • ハイムリック法 (haimurikku hō)first aid procedure used to treat choking
Korean 하임리히법
  • 하임리히법 (haimnihibeop)first aid procedure used to treat choking
Portuguese manobra de Heimlich
  • manobra de Heimlichfirst aid procedure used to treat choking
Spanish maniobra de Heimlich
  • maniobra de Heimlichfirst aid procedure used to treat choking
Cite this entry
APA

Heimlich maneuver. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Heimlich%20maneuver

MLA

“Heimlich maneuver.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Heimlich%20maneuver. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Heimlich maneuver,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Heimlich%20maneuver.

Source: Heimlich maneuver on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.