Skip to content

ambulance

ambulance

noun ahm-bu-LAHNS Less Common
Body & Health Medicine

Origin: French hôpital ambulant, 'mobile hospital'

Usage Note

Ambulance is feminine and spelled identically to the English word. In France ambulances are often operated by private companies (ambulanciers) under contract to the public health system. The word AMBULANCE is commonly written in mirror image on the front of the vehicle so it is legible in other drivers' rearview mirrors.

Examples

"L'ambulance est arrivée rapidement."

Natural Translation

The ambulance arrived quickly.

Free starter pack

Building your French vocabulary?

Get the 100 most common French words as a free PDF — one email, no spam.

Explore French by topic