surgery

noun

sur·​gery ˈsər-jə-rē How to pronounce surgery (audio)
ˈsərj-
plural surgeries
1
: a branch of medicine concerned with diseases and conditions requiring or amenable to operative or manual procedures
2
: alterations made as if by surgery
literary surgery
3
a
British : a physician's or dentist's office
b
: a room or area where surgery is performed
4
a
: the work done by a surgeon
b

Examples of surgery in a Sentence

He's a specialist in brain surgery. The doctor has recommended surgery. He has recently undergone surgery on his shoulder. a doctor who has performed many surgeries The patient was taken directly to surgery.
Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Treatment depends on the disease and its underlying cause and may include dietary changes, medication, or surgery. Mark Gurarie, Health, 2 Nov. 2024 In trans teens ages 15 to 17, the rate of gender-affirming surgery was 2.1 per 100,000, the study found -- a majority of which were chest surgeries. Kiara Alfonseca, ABC News, 1 Nov. 2024 Derek’s oldest son, Dallas, was rushed into emergency surgery at Valley Children’s Healthcare in 2013 because of intestinal malrotation, a potentially life-threatening condition that affected his blood supply and intestinal tract, and spent several weeks there. Jeff Fedotin, Forbes, 1 Nov. 2024 After following these tips, she was referred to a specialist urgently, who booked her for surgery within two weeks. Alyssa Goldberg, USA TODAY, 31 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for surgery 

Word History

Etymology

Middle English surgerie, from Anglo-French cirurgerie, surgerie, from Latin chirurgia, from Greek cheirourgia, from cheirourgos surgeon, from cheirourgos doing by hand, from cheir hand + ergon work — more at chir-, work

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of surgery was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near surgery

Cite this Entry

“Surgery.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/surgery. Accessed 14 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

surgery

noun
sur·​gery ˈsərj-(ə-)rē How to pronounce surgery (audio)
plural surgeries
1
: medical science concerned with the correction of physical defects, the repair and healing of injuries, and the treatment of diseased conditions especially by operations
2
a
: the work done by a surgeon
3
: a room or area where surgery is performed
Etymology

Middle English surgerie "surgery," from early French cirurgerie, surgerie (same meaning), from Latin chirurgia (same meaning), derived from Greek cheirourgos "surgeon," from cheirourgos "doing by hand," from cheir "hand" and ergon "work"

Medical Definition

surgery

noun
sur·​gery ˈsərj-(ə-)rē How to pronounce surgery (audio)
plural surgeries
1
: a branch of medicine concerned with diseases and conditions requiring or amenable to operative or manual procedures
2
a
British : a physician's or dentist's office
b
: a room or area where surgery is performed
3
a
: the work done by a surgeon
b

More from Merriam-Webster on surgery

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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