English Reference
Noun

gurney

n. countable
C1 Advanced US /ˈɡɝni/ UK /ɡˈɜːni/ gur·ney UK spelling gurneys

n.a bed with wheels used in hospitals to move patients from one room to another.

n.a wheeled stretcher or collapsible bed used for transporting patients within a medical facility.


SIMPLE

The nurses pushed the gurney down the hallway.

CONTEXTUAL

Paramedics quickly transferred the patient from the ambulance to a hospital gurney for immediate assessment.

COMPLEX

The rhythmic clicking of the gurney wheels against the linoleum floor was the only sound in the sterile corridor as they moved toward the operating theatre.

Usage

Commonly used in North American English; 'trolley' is the more frequent term in British English.

The agency reported that Williams rocked his head back-and-forth and smiled and appeared to sing or speak before slowing and becoming still on the gurney.

The Guardian· 13 Aug 2026
This entry
Level C1 · Advanced
Frequency Occasional
Updated