hysterectomy

noun

hys·​ter·​ec·​to·​my ˌhi-stə-ˈrek-tə-mē 

plural hysterectomies

: surgical removal of the uterus

hysterectomized

ˌhi-stə-ˈrek-tə-ˌmīzd 

adjective

Examples of hysterectomy in a Sentence

a surgeon who has performed many hysterectomies

Recent Examples on the Web

Regis went through six months of chemotherapy, a bilateral mastectomy, six weeks of radiation, a total hysterectomy (to eliminate her body’s main source of estrogen), and breast reconstruction, all over a span of roughly 18 months. —Ayren Jackson-Cannady, SELF, 29 May 2026

Connie Lansdown, the hysterectomy patient, watches the storm yank a man from a reclining chair and drag him down the hall. —Kansas City Star, 22 May 2026

And surgical site infections following abdominal hysterectomy actually rose 8% in 2024, according to the CDC, a reminder that the infection problem extends well beyond surfaces. —Dara-Abasi Ita, Forbes.com, 15 May 2026

In addition to fibroids, there are many other reasons a provider may recommend a hysterectomy, such as adenomyosis, which is also noncancerous and causes heavy and painful periods, explained Tang. —Sandra Rose Salathe, Flow Space, 15 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1872, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for hysterectomy

• appendectomy
• hepatectomy
• iridectomy
• laminectomy
• laryngectomy
• oophorectomy
• pneumonectomy
• prostatectomy
• sympathectomy
• thyroidectomy
• tonsillectomy
• adrenalectomy

Medical Definition

hysterectomy

noun

hys·​ter·​ec·​to·​my ˌhis-tə-ˈrek-tə-mē 

plural hysterectomies

: surgical removal of the uterus see ovariohysterectomy, panhysterectomy, radical hysterectomy, supracervical hysterectomy

hysterectomized adjective

also British hysterectomised

-tə-ˌmīzd