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

Once at the hospital, doctors determined his legs would have to be amputated six inches below each knee. —Virginia Chamlee, PEOPLE, 10 Jan. 2026

Patricia Shields said spiders were found in the bathroom of her old apartment in Largo, just west of Tampa, and even had to have some of her toes amputated due to being bitten repeatedly. —Steven Yablonski, CBS News, 8 Jan. 2026

Darryl Charles is a former Marine who had his right leg above the knee amputated. —Stephanie Ogilvie, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Jan. 2026

Dickinson's right leg was amputated in 2021, his daughter wrote on Facebook, adding that he was fitted with a prosthetic a few months later and re-learned how to walk. —Landon Mion, FOXNews.com, 26 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