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

With only 2 percent chance of survival, both of Purdy's legs were amputated below the knee. — Liza Esquibias, USA Today, 15 Sep. 2026

To save his life, doctors had to amputate his legs below the knee. — Rick Kogan, Chicago Tribune, 10 Sep. 2026

Woodhall was born with fibula hemimelia, a shortening or nonexistence of the fibula bone, and his parents decided to have his legs amputated when the future Paralympian was 11 months old. — Natasha Dye, PEOPLE, 9 Sep. 2026

The stranger informs her matter-of-factly that Alice’s leg will be amputated unless Anna opts into her payment-plan bargain. — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 8 Sep. 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