sentinel event

noun

Any unanticipated or unusual event in a medical setting which results in death or serious physical injury to a person or persons, specifically including limb loss or gross motor function.

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Meanings

nounsentinel event (plural sentinel events)

plural sentinel events

  1. medicineAny unanticipated or unusual event in a medical setting which results in death or serious physical injury to a person or persons, specifically including limb loss or gross motor function.

Origin

As defined by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Dutch calamiteit
  • calamiteitunusual event in a medical setting which results in death or serious physical injury
Finnish haittatapahtuma
  • haittatapahtumaunusual event in a medical setting which results in death or serious physical injury
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

Source: sentinel event on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.