defibrillate

D2E1F4I1B3R1I1L1L1A1T1E1
UK/diːˈfɪbɹɪleɪt/

verb

To stop the fibrillation of the heart in order to restore normal contractions, especially by the use of an electric shock.

Scrabble 18

Meanings

verbdefibrillate (third-person singular simple present defibrillates, present participle defibrillating, simple past and past participle defibrillated)

present singular third person defibrillates · participle present defibrillating · participle past defibrillated · past defibrillated

  1. transitivecardiologyTo stop the fibrillation of the heart in order to restore normal contractions, especially by the use of an electric shock.

    Dynamic typography reinvigorates the storytelling genre by anthropomorphizing fonts, defibrillating calligraphy, creating rhythmic, ambient moodscapes without sacrificing speed or lushness.

    1999, Artbyte, volume 2
    2 more examples

    Though occasionally a “flatliner” can be revived with a defib, it is most commonly used to change the uncoordinated contractions of the heart (fibrillation) into a normal sinus rhythm—that is, to defibrillate the heart.

    2011, Laurence Street, Introduction to Biomedical Engineering Technology, page 125

    The former sex addict turned exuberant Christian influencer Russell Brand showed up in a leopard-print cardigan to offer a rare note of empathy, saying the stunt was an attempt to “defibrillate divinity down here on the lower levels.”

    2024 December 18, Helen Lewis, quoting Russell Brand, “The Outrage Over 100 Men Only Goes So Far”, in The Atlantic

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*de
  2. Proto-Indo-European*déh₁
  3. Proto-Italic*dē
  4. Latindē
  5. Latindē-
  6. Englishde-
  7. Englishfibrillate
  8. Englishdefibrillate

From de- + fibrillate.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 除顫 /除颤, 去顫 /去颤
  • 除顫 /除颤 (chúchàn)to stop cardiac fibrillation
  • 去顫 /去颤 (qùchàn)to stop cardiac fibrillation
Finnish defibrilloida
  • defibrilloidato stop cardiac fibrillation
French défibriller
  • défibrillerto stop cardiac fibrillation
German defibrillieren
  • defibrillierento stop cardiac fibrillation
Romanian defibrila
  • defibrilato stop cardiac fibrillation
Russian дефибрилли́ровать
  • дефибрилли́ровать (defibrillírovatʹ)to stop cardiac fibrillation
Welsh diffibrilio
  • diffibrilioto stop cardiac fibrillation
Cite this entry
APA

defibrillate. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/defibrillate

MLA

“defibrillate.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/defibrillate. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “defibrillate,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/defibrillate.

Source: defibrillate on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.