What does triage mean?
Triage is the practice of assessing and sorting cases so that attention and resources go first to those in greatest need. In medicine, it means evaluating injured or ill patients and assigning priorities for treatment rather than serving everyone in arrival order. Emergency planners and aid organizations use the same principle to classify incidents, victims, supplies, or tasks when conditions are chaotic and resources are limited. Triage can also be a verb: teams triage patients, applications, or requests, deciding what should be handled immediately and what can wait. The word is therefore associated with urgency, systematic judgment, and allocation under pressure. Its neutral medical sense differs from the figurative use, which may suggest that a service or organization is overwhelmed. Because triage depends on comparison and prioritization, it also carries an implication of difficult choices, but it does not itself mean abandoning those assigned a lower priority. Both British and American English use the word broadly, with its medical and emergency-management senses most established.
The process of assessing and sorting patients, incidents, or cases according to urgency and priority, particularly when immediate treatment or assistance is limited.
"The hospital changed its triage procedure after a review of emergency admissions."
The noun is commonly uncountable in general use, although the plural triages is possible for separate rounds or instances of the process.
To assess and sort people, cases, or problems according to urgency, importance, or available resources.
"Rescue workers triaged the injured and directed the most critical cases to surgery."
As a verb, triage emphasizes the systematic act of assessment and prioritization rather than merely examining cases.
The plural is possible but uncommon; it usually refers to separate rounds or instances of the triage process.
"The agency revised its protocols after several triages revealed delays in treatment."
From French triage, meaning “sorting,” to modern emergency rooms, the word has always meant deciding who comes first.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does triage come from?
The word entered English from French triage, meaning “sorting,” in the early nineteenth century, especially in medical and military contexts. French triage came from trier, “to sort or pick out,” which is associated with Medieval Latin triare and is often traced further to Latin tri- meaning three. Its development reflects a shift from literal sorting into the modern sense of rapid assessment and priority-setting.
Related word forms
How triage is actually used
The word is most established in medicine, emergency management, disaster response, and public safety. Figurative uses in business and everyday conversation are also common and can imply that a system is overloaded. It is standard in both British and American English.