surgery

noun

sur·​gery ˈsər-jə-rē 

ˈsərj-

plural surgeries

1

: a branch of medicine concerned with diseases and conditions requiring or amenable to operative or manual procedures

2

: alterations made as if by surgery

literary surgery

3

a

British : a physician's or dentist's office

b

: a room or area where surgery is performed

4

a

: the work done by a surgeon

b

: operation

Examples of surgery in a Sentence

He's a specialist in brain surgery.

The doctor has recommended surgery.

He has recently undergone surgery on his shoulder.

a doctor who has performed many surgeries

The patient was taken directly to surgery.

Recent Examples on the Web

Rodriguez returns after a 15-month layoff and hand surgery, aiming to re-enter the title picture against Silva, who seeks a second win this year to secure a title shot. — Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 5 Aug. 2026

Jesibel and Desisia are conjoined from below the sternum to the pelvis; they have been admitted to the King Abdullah Specialist Children’s Hospital, where a team will assess the feasibility of separation surgery. — Dominic Dudley, semafor.com, 5 Aug. 2026

In Trauma, when terrorists seize a busy London Hospital and take the Prime Minister hostage during surgery, former Royal Marines medic turned ER doctor Jim Marchant (Madden) must fight his way through the building to save everyone inside. — Denise Petski, Deadline, 5 Aug. 2026

Unlike so many previous attempts to stop smoking, Washington’s bypass surgery successfully forced him to give up the habit. — Mac Engel august 5, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English surgerie, from Anglo-French cirurgerie, surgerie, from Latin chirurgia, from Greek cheirourgia, from cheirourgos surgeon, from cheirourgos doing by hand, from cheir hand + ergon work — more at chir-, work

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing surgery

• bottom surgery
• cosmetic surgery
• exploratory surgery
• gender affirmation surgery
• gender-affirming surgery
• gender confirmation surgery
• gender-confirming surgery
• gender reassignment surgery
• in surgery
• plastic surgery
• pre-surgery
• reconstructive surgery
• sex change surgery
• Tommy John surgery
• top surgery
• tree surgery

Rhymes for surgery

• perjury
• cryosurgery
• microsurgery
• neurosurgery
• psychosurgery
• radiosurgery

Kids Definition

surgery

noun

sur·​gery ˈsərj-(ə-)rē 

plural surgeries

1

: medical science concerned with the correction of physical defects, the repair and healing of injuries, and the treatment of diseased conditions especially by operations

2

a

: the work done by a surgeon

b

: operation sense 3

3

: a room or area where surgery is performed

Etymology

Middle English surgerie "surgery," from early French cirurgerie, surgerie (same meaning), from Latin chirurgia (same meaning), derived from Greek cheirourgos "surgeon," from cheirourgos "doing by hand," from cheir "hand" and ergon "work"

Medical Definition

surgery

noun

sur·​gery ˈsərj-(ə-)rē 

plural surgeries

1

: a branch of medicine concerned with diseases and conditions requiring or amenable to operative or manual procedures

2

a

British : a physician's or dentist's office

b

: a room or area where surgery is performed

3

a

: the work done by a surgeon

b

: operation