surgical

adjective

sur·​gi·​cal ˈsər-ji-kəl 

1

a

: of or relating to surgeons or surgery

surgical skills

b

: used in or in connection with surgery

surgical gauze

c

: following or resulting from surgery

surgical fevers

2

: characteristic of or resembling surgery or a surgeon especially in control or incisiveness

surgical precision

surgically

ˈsər-ji-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

Examples of surgical in a Sentence

The work was done with surgical precision.

Recent Examples on the Web

There was a Keith Sonnier sculpture incorporating a vinyl bag that inflated and deflated as if breathing, and an Eva Hesse piece made of two phallic forms wrapped in cord and connected with a length of surgical hose, resembling a jump-rope with giant sausages for handles. —Kate Guadagnino, New York Times, 25 Sep. 2023

Mayden seemed surgical in a tight passing-game plan from offensive coordinator Ryan Lindley — dink, dunk, screen, patiently wait for deeper holes in the defense — but coughed up two massive fumbles Friday in a 34-31 loss to Boise State at Snapdragon Stadium. —Bryce Miller, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Sep. 2023

Hospitals and clinics would be deprived of a range or workers represented by multiple unions, including medical assistants, phlebotomists, information technology workers, surgical technicians, lab technicians, pharmacy clerks, social workers, food service workers and housekeepers. —Emily Alpert Reyes, Los Angeles Times, 22 Sep. 2023

Once implanted via surgical robot using ultra-fine, flexible wiring, the preliminary BCI device reportedly will wirelessly transmit data to an external computer to decode patients’ movement intentions. —Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 20 Sep. 2023

Wired notes a December 2019 experiment outlined in one of the documents saying one monkey had to be euthanized after a piece of Neuralink’s brain implant broke off during the surgical process, leading to infection. —Emma Roth, The Verge, 20 Sep. 2023

Having more than two cesareans may be riskier than attempting a VBAC, as the chance of surgical complications increases with the number of C-sections a person has. —Lisa Milbrand, Parents, 20 Sep. 2023

Synchron inserts its device via a surgical incision in the base of the neck and then maneuvers the implant to its destination in the brain. —Sarah McBride, Fortune, 19 Sep. 2023

Hendry had to write a letter to the University of North Carolina Health surgical team verifying that Henson met the criteria for a gender dysphoria diagnosis and that a total hysterectomy would improve his quality of life. —Aliyya Swaby, ProPublica, 14 Sep. 2023

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Word History

Etymology

surgeon + -ical

First Known Use

1707, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing surgical

• surgical spirit
• surgical strike
• pre-surgical
• surgical mask

• surgical spirit
• surgical strike
• pre-surgical
• surgical mask

Kids Definition

surgical

adjective

sur·​gi·​cal ˈsər-ji-kəl 

: of, relating to, or associated with surgeons or surgery

surgical skills

surgical equipment

a surgical fever

surgically

-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

Medical Definition

surgical

adjective

sur·​gi·​cal ˈsər-ji-kəl 

1

: of, relating to, or concerned with surgeons or surgery

surgical skill

2

: requiring surgical treatment

a surgical appendix

3

: used in or in connection with surgery

surgical gauze

4

: following or resulting from surgery

surgical fevers