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

Matt Miller, an NFL draft analyst for ESPN, says his left arm was amputated after he was involved in a car accident last week. — Rick Porter, HollywoodReporter, 23 June 2026

Not to be daunted, Kristen chooses to have a leg amputated, replaced with a prosthetic, rather than lose the ability to surf. — Pete Hammond, Deadline, 22 June 2026

Among the 20 people injured in the chain reaction crash were the Uber driver, a 1-year-old who suffered a broken foot and an 11-year-old girl whose right leg had to be amputated. — Emma Seiwell, New York Daily News, 21 June 2026

That happens, but the proposal on the ballot is like amputating one’s foot to heal a blister. — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 20 June 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
• aggravate
• agitate
• alginate
• alienate
• allocate
• angulate
• annotate

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