triage

[traɪˈɑːʒ]

Origin

From French trier meaning "to sort, separate" (early 1700s), originally used in military medicine.

Part of Speech

• noun
• verb

Meanings

1. noun: The process of determining the priority of patients' treatments based on the severity of their condition
2. verb: To sort or allocate according to priority or urgency

Example Sentences

1. "The emergency room nurse performed triage on incoming patients after the accident."
2. "During the disaster, medical staff had to triage victims quickly to save as many lives as possible."
3. "The IT department uses a triage system to handle support tickets."

Word Forms

• verb: triage, triaging, triaged
• noun: triage, triages
• adjective: triaged

Synonyms

• sorting
• prioritization
• assessment
• classification
• screening

Memory Tricks

1. Think "try-AGE" - you try to determine which patients need help based on their age and condition
2. Remember the three levels often used in triage:
   • Red (immediate)
   • Yellow (delayed)
   • Green (minimal)
3. Associate with "triangle" - three levels of priority, similar sound

Usage Notes

• Originally a medical term but now commonly used in business and technology
• Often associated with emergency situations and resource management
• Implies systematic prioritization of urgent matters