intubate
LowTechnical/Medical
Definition
Meaning
To insert a tube into a hollow organ or passage of the body, especially the trachea, to maintain an open airway.
The medical procedure of inserting a tube into the trachea (tracheal intubation) to support breathing, typically during surgery, critical illness, or when a patient cannot breathe independently. More broadly, it can refer to inserting a tube into other bodily structures (e.g., the stomach).
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The term is primarily transitive (intubate a patient). It denotes a specific, skilled clinical action and is rarely used metaphorically.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical differences. Spelling and usage are identical in medical contexts.
Connotations
Purely technical/clinical; no regional connotations.
Frequency
Equally low-frequency and specialised in both varieties, used exclusively in medical/paramedical fields.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
transitive: [subject] intubates [patient/airway]passive: The patient was intubated.causative/instructive: The consultant instructed the registrar to intubate.Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Not used.
Academic
Used in medical and nursing textbooks, journals, and lectures.
Everyday
Extremely rare. Might be heard in medical TV dramas or news reports about critical care.
Technical
Core term in anaesthesiology, emergency medicine, critical care, and respiratory therapy.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The anaesthetist will intubate the patient before the laparotomy.
- We had to intubate him in the ambulance due to his deteriorating Glasgow Coma Scale.
American English
- The ER doctor needed to intubate the trauma victim immediately.
- If the patient's oxygen saturation drops, we'll have to intubate.
adverb
British English
- Not used as an adverb.
- Not used as an adverb.
American English
- Not used as an adverb.
- Not used as an adverb.
adjective
British English
- The intubated patient was transferred to the ICU.
- An intubated airway requires careful management.
American English
- The intubated patient was placed on a ventilator.
- Check the position of the intubated tube with a chest X-ray.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- This word is not taught at A2 level.
- The doctor had to put a tube in the patient's throat to help him breathe. (paraphrase, not using 'intubate')
- In serious accidents, medical staff may need to intubate a person to keep their airway open.
- Intubation is a common procedure during major surgery.
- The decision to intubate a patient with severe pneumonia is based on their blood gas results and work of breathing.
- Following the failed trial of non-invasive ventilation, the team proceeded to intubate her.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
IN + TUBE + ATE: Imagine a medic stating, 'We need to INsert a TUBE, and we ATE up the procedure quickly' to save a patient.
Conceptual Metaphor
THE BODY IS A MACHINE WITH CONDUITS: The airway is a pipe or conduit that can be mechanically opened and supported with a tube.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid literal translation 'интубировать' in non-medical contexts as it will not be understood. In general speech, use описательный перевод (descriptive translation).
- Do not confuse with 'интуиция' (intuition) – they are false cognates.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'intubate' to mean simply 'put on a ventilator' (intubation is one step in connecting to a ventilator).
- Misspelling as 'entubate' (incorrect).
- Incorrect stress: stressing the second syllable (in-TUBE-ate) is common but non-standard.
Practice
Quiz
In which scenario would a healthcare professional most likely 'intubate'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Intubation is the physical act of inserting the tube into the trachea. Ventilation is the process of moving air in and out of the lungs, which can be done via the tube (mechanical ventilation) or by other means.
While most commonly referring to tracheal intubation, it can technically apply to inserting a tube into other hollow structures (e.g., 'nasogastric intubation'), but this is less common. Context usually specifies 'tracheal' or 'endotracheal' intubation.
Yes, specially trained paramedics, nurse anaesthetists, and respiratory therapists are also trained to perform intubation in many healthcare systems.
The direct opposite is 'extubate', which means to remove the tube from the trachea.