ostomy

noun

os·​to·​my ˈä-stə-mē 

plural ostomies

: an operation (such as a colostomy) to create an artificial passage for bodily elimination

Examples of ostomy in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Lisa Baxter, the clinical director of the inpatient wound and ostomy care team at Tufts Medical Center in Boston, said her team uses maggot therapy once or twice a year, usually for patients who can’t have surgery. — Mustafa Fattah, NBC news, 17 May 2026

During her year of cancer treatment – which included multiple rounds of radiation, chemo pills and chemo infusions along with a surgery to remove her tumor that left her permanently reliant on an ostomy bag – Chapman was too weak to work. — Freep.com, 26 Apr. 2026

Lawmakers must pass legislation that clarifies that ostomy supplies are not appropriate for inclusion in competitive bidding programs and should be treated as patient-specific systems, not interchangeable goods. — Diego Schaps, STAT, 1 Apr. 2026

With input from oncology, a plan was made to remove all of her colon and rectum, create a temporary ostomy, adjust her diet, and begin physical therapy. — Adaira Landry, Forbes.com, 10 Feb. 2026

Word History

Etymology

colostomy

First Known Use

1957, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for ostomy

• enterostomy
• gastroenterostomy

Medical Definition

ostomy

noun

os·​to·​my ˈäs-tə-mē 

plural ostomies

: an operation (as a colostomy, ileostomy, or urostomy) to create an artificial passage for bodily elimination