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

As a result, surgeons may engage in improved treatment planning and more precise collaboration between the surgical team and restorative specialists, ultimately to the benefit of patient comfort. — Miami Herald, 29 Sep. 2026

Chris, a surgical resident at a New Jersey hospital who joins his brother on his days off, had been held up performing a right hemicolectomy on a gunshot victim. — Arthur Holland Michel, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2026

Backstage, ten makeup artists, ten hairstylists, and nine dressers fuss over the Swans, the nine final contestants of this surgical interpretation of Cinderella. — Joan Kron, Allure, 28 Sep. 2026

In the post, Wouter was pictured wearing a dog cone, which is used to prevent pets from licking, chewing or scratching surgical sites or wounds. — Summer Lin, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

surgeon + -ical

First Known Use

1707, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing surgical

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

Rhymes for surgical

• chirurgical
• liturgical
• nonsurgical
• postsurgical
• dramaturgical
• metallurgical
• microsurgical
• neurosurgical

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