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Glite Dictionary
donor card

donor card

4 3.3
A card carried to show that a person wants to give their organs after death
  • noun
  • /ˈdoʊnər kɑrd/
translation icon : tarjeta de donante
  • Only 20 percent of all Americans carry an organ donor card, and only about 3 percent of donors were carrying a card when pronounced dead (Caplan, 1986).
  • sign a donor card

Examples

  • One reason for the shortage is the failure of potential donors, even those who have signed an organ donor card, to inform families of their wish to donate, says English.

    Academic text (1994)

  • Anyone can indicate willingness to be a donor by signing a donor card.

  • Ya, well, take it from me, you gotta read the fine print on the organ donor card.

    I, Robot (2004)

  • An anatomical gift can be made through a will or a donor card and does not require consent from the family.

    Academic text (1995)

  • People can revoke the gift by destroying the donor card or telling family members that the donation should not occur.

    Academic text (1995)

  • If preferred status legislation were introduced in the USA, people would be asked to sign a donor card that would entitle them to preferential treatment.

    Academic text (1991)

  • Hearing stories of the miracle of renewed life through organ donation makes signing my organ donor card all the more meaningful.

    Blog text (5)

  • A limited form of opting-in is practiced in the USA via required request legislation (statutes in which families must be asked about organ donation) and the signing of donor cards.

    Academic text (1991)

  • Your husband signed a donor card to consent to organ donation.

  • Did that girl sign a donor card to help save lives after her death?

Surface Forms

donor card singular
donor cards plural

Morphology

donor + card

The meaning 'an official card indicating consent to organ donation' is directly and compositionally derived from 'donor' (a person who gives organs/tissue) + 'card' (an identity/document). This noun–noun compound follows a common, cross-linguistic pattern and would be immediately understandable to a B1 learner who knows both constituents.

Etymology

Donor card comes from the simple image of a small card someone carries that says they are a donor of organs. So, it means an official card that shows a person's 'consent' to organ donation after their death.