# triage

/ˈtɹaɪɪdʒ/ (US) · /tɹˈiːɑːʒ/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/triage
Updated: 2026-05-19

## Definition

the process of deciding which patients or tasks are the most urgent and need help first. In computing, it is the system that checks if a request is valid before sending it to the server.

For teachers: the process of sorting and prioritizing patients or tasks based on the severity of their condition or urgency. In a technical context, it refers to the initial validation of a request before it is processed by a server.

## Examples

- The hospital staff performed triage to see who needed immediate help.
- The server uses a triage system to filter out invalid requests and prevent the database from being overwhelmed by spam.
- Effective triage in emergency medicine requires a rapid assessment of vital signs to ensure that the most critical cases receive immediate intervention, while less severe injuries are managed in a secondary area.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.