Inserted a tube (usually down the throat into the lungs) to help someone breathe, especially when they're too sick or sedated to breathe on their own.
From Latin 'in' (into) and modern 'tube,' with the suffix '-ate' making it a verb. This is a relatively new medical term from the 20th century as the technology for respiratory support developed.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, intubation became a daily news word, but this procedure saved countless lives—without it, most people on ventilators in ICUs would have died. It's one of modern medicine's most powerful tools, though it requires intense care since the tube bypasses the natural defenses of your airway.
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