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

In a particularly gnarly flashback, one sibling voluntarily — and crudely — amputates his fingers to match his brother's disfigured hand, which lost two digits when Angier shot him. —Matt Cabral, Entertainment Weekly, 13 Apr. 2026

The 49ers Hall of Fame safety had his pinkie mangled on a tackle during a game in 1985, and played with a splint before having the digit amputated after the season. —Troy Renck, Denver Post, 13 Apr. 2026

Adair was previously advised to have his leg amputated. —Caroline Zimmerman, Kansas City Star, 11 Apr. 2026

Their aspirations for independence from the Habsburgs were crushed in 1849, and their territory was amputated by the peace agreements that ended the First World War. —Isaac Stanley-Becker, The Atlantic, 10 Apr. 2026

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