gynecology

noun

gy·​ne·​col·​o·​gy ˌgī-nə-ˈkä-lə-jē  ˌji- 

: a branch of medicine that deals with the diseases and routine physical care of the reproductive system of women

gynecologic

ˌgī-ni-kə-ˈlä-jik  ˌji- 

adjective

or gynecological

ˌgī-ni-kə-ˈlä-ji-kəl  ˌji- 

Examples of gynecology in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Chronic health conditions are a major hurdle for physicians and often require monitoring beyond obstetrics and gynecology. —Tom Rogers, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Apr. 2025

But once that runs out, prices will likely go up, says Lauren Streicher, MD, a clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. —Korin Miller, Flow Space, 17 Apr. 2025

ProPublica’s findings indicate that the law is getting in the way of providing abortions that can protect against life-threatening infections, said Dr. Sarah Prager, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Washington. —CNN, 21 Feb. 2025

By putting it in writing, of course. Dr. Alessandra Hirsch is a writer and assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Columbia University Medical Center in New York City. —Alessandra Hirsch, Twin Cities, 26 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

probably borrowed from German Gynäkologie, borrowed from New Latin gynaecologia, from gynaeco- gyneco- + -logia -logy

Note: The Latin term appears in the titles of the German physician Martin Schurig's Gynaecologia historico-medica (Dresden, 1730) and in the German humanist and physician Johann Peter Lotichius's Gynaicologia, id est, de nobilitate et perfectione sexus feminei (Rinteln, 1630). Neither work, however, dealt with gynecology as a branch of medicine. Schurig's book dealt with female sexual behavior from a medical and legal standpoint, and Lotichius discussed the nature of women and challenged the ancients' belief in female inferiority.

First Known Use

1828, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for gynecology

• aetiology
• anthropology
• archaeology
• archeology
• audiology
• cardiology
• climatology
• cohomology
• cosmetology
• criminology
• demonology
• dermatology

Kids Definition

gynecology

noun

gy·​ne·​col·​o·​gy ˌgīn-i-ˈkäl-ə-jē  ˌjin- 

: a branch of medicine that is concerned with the diseases and routine medical care of the reproductive system of women

Medical Definition

gynecology

noun

gy·​ne·​col·​o·​gy

variants or chiefly British gynaecology

ˌgīn-ə-ˈkäl-ə-jē  ˌjin- 

plural gynecologies

: a branch of medicine that deals with the diseases and routine physical care of the reproductive system of women

gynecologic

ˌgīn-i-kə-ˈläj-ik  ˌjin- 

adjective

or gynecological

-i-kəl 

or chiefly British gynaecologic or gynaecological