amputate

verb

am·​pu·​tate ˈam-pyə-ˌtāt 

amputated; amputating

transitive verb

: to remove by or as if by cutting

especially : to cut (a part, such as a limb) from the body

amputation

ˌam-pyə-ˈtā-shən 

noun

Examples of amputate in a Sentence

His arm was badly injured and had to be amputated.

Recent Examples on the Web

The Duchess of Sussex spent the weekend ringing round hospitals in the Philippines, where her father had a leg amputated during life saving surgery last week. —Jack Royston, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Dec. 2025

Meghan Markle has reached out to her father, Thomas Markle, after his emergency surgery to amputate his left leg, a spokesperson confirms. —Erin Hill, PEOPLE, 5 Dec. 2025

Meghan Markle‘s father had his leg amputated after a very big health scare. —Stylecaster Editors, StyleCaster, 5 Dec. 2025

After a car accident, Craig’s leg is amputated, leaving him bed-ridden and lonely at home with only his family and a neighbor boy for company. —Emma Alpern, Vulture, 2 Dec. 2025

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Latin amputātus, past participle of amputāre "to prune back (a plant), prune away, remove by cutting (unwanted parts or features), cut off (a branch, limb, body part)," from am-, assimilated variant of amb- "about, around" + putāre "to prune, make clean or tidy, scour (wool)" — more at ambient entry 1, putative

First Known Use

1612, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for amputate

• abdicate
• abrogate
• acetate
• activate
• actuate
• adsorbate
• aggravate
• agitate
• alginate
• alienate
• allocate
• angulate

Kids Definition

amputate

verb

am·​pu·​tate ˈam-pyə-ˌtāt 

amputated; amputating

: to cut off

especially : to cut off an arm or leg from the body

amputation

ˌam-pyə-ˈtā-shən 

noun

Medical Definition

amputate

transitive verb

am·​pu·​tate ˈam-pyə-ˌtāt 

amputated; amputating

: to cut (as a limb) from the body

amputation

ˌam-pyə-ˈtā-shən 

noun