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

That, paired with non-surgical aesthetic treatments, can give people incredible results. —Audrey Noble, Vogue, 16 Dec. 2025

The surgical technique The industry standard in the 1980s would not work for the patients Ruit wanted to help. —Pasquale Hinrichs, CNN Money, 15 Dec. 2025

Lift lines are orderly, rental shops run with surgical efficiency, and cafes serve single-origin pour-overs. —Denny Lee, Travel + Leisure, 15 Dec. 2025

Geary died Sunday at 78 of complications from a surgical procedure three days prior. —Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 15 Dec. 2025

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