vasectomy

noun

va·​sec·​to·​my və-ˈsek-tə-mē How to pronounce vasectomy (audio)
vā-ˈzek-
plural vasectomies
: surgical division or resection of all or part of the vas deferens usually to induce sterility

Examples of vasectomy in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
And the men seeking vasectomies after Dobbs were also an average of two years younger and had fewer children. Tara Haelle, Scientific American, 30 Oct. 2024 The most recent male birth control innovation was the no-scalpel vasectomy in 1974. Elizabeth B. Kim, The Enquirer, 11 June 2024 The simplest way to regain your fertility after a vasectomy is to have a vasectomy reversal, a procedure that about 2-6% of males in the United States undergo.2 Depending on which type of procedure is done, vasectomy reversals have a fairly high success rate. Wendy Wisner, Health, 18 Sep. 2024 More research is needed to better understand the effectiveness of subsequent vasectomies after vasectomy reversal. Jamin Brahmbhatt, Verywell Health, 11 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for vasectomy 

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from French vasectomie, from vas (deferens) vas deferens + -ectomie -ectomy

First Known Use

1899, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of vasectomy was in 1899

Dictionary Entries Near vasectomy

Cite this Entry

“Vasectomy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vasectomy. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

Medical Definition

vasectomy

noun
va·​sec·​to·​my -tə-mē How to pronounce vasectomy (audio)
plural vasectomies
: surgical division or resection of all or part of the vas deferens usually to induce sterility

More from Merriam-Webster on vasectomy

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!