ICU
3 synonyms for ICU, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — The part of a hospital that treats patients who are critically ill and need constant monitoring and life-support equipment.
Synonyms
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
intensive care unit
critical care unit
ITU
How to use ICU
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
admitted to the ICU
ICU bed
neonatal ICU
ICU nurse
The medical sense is neutral and standard; the texting sense is very informal and usually lower case.
Etymology
An initialism of intensive care unit.
Full origin of ICU →Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between ICU and HDU?
An intensive care unit treats the sickest patients, often with mechanical ventilation and one nurse per patient. A high dependency unit is a step down: closer monitoring than a normal ward, but less support and a lower staffing ratio.
What does ICU mean in texting?
It usually stands for I see you. Depending on tone it can mean literally spotting someone, or acknowledging something impressive they have done.
Is ICU the same as ITU?
In practice yes. Intensive therapy unit is an older British term for the same kind of ward, and many UK hospitals use ICU, ITU and critical care interchangeably.
