amputate

verb

am·​pu·​tate ˈam-pyə-ˌtāt 

amputated; amputating

transitive verb

: to remove by or as if by cutting

especially : to cut (a part, such as a limb) from the body

amputation

ˌam-pyə-ˈtā-shən 

noun

Examples of amputate in a Sentence

His arm was badly injured and had to be amputated.

Recent Examples on the Web

The performer’s family announced Caliente’s death Sunday on social media; while no cause of death was provided, her family revealed just days before her death that Caliente had her right leg amputated due to a severe infection. —Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 27 Apr. 2025

Jiggly Caliente won’t be returning to her position as a judge on Drag Race Philippines after the drag performer had most of her right leg amputated following an infection. —Stephen Daw, Billboard, 24 Apr. 2025

Flashback: The seeds of the study grew from the experience of Albert Yu-Min Lin, a UCSD researcher and National Geographic explorer whose lower right leg was amputated. —Andrew Keatts, Axios, 25 Mar. 2025

Fellow shepherds rushed him to a hospital, where doctors amputated his left leg. —Arkansas Online, 21 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Latin amputātus, past participle of amputāre "to prune back (a plant), prune away, remove by cutting (unwanted parts or features), cut off (a branch, limb, body part)," from am-, assimilated variant of amb- "about, around" + putāre "to prune, make clean or tidy, scour (wool)" — more at ambient entry 1, putative

First Known Use

1612, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for amputate

• abdicate
• abrogate
• acetate
• activate
• actuate
• adsorbate
• aggravate
• agitate
• alginate
• alienate
• allocate
• angulate

Kids Definition

amputate

verb

am·​pu·​tate ˈam-pyə-ˌtāt 

amputated; amputating

: to cut off

especially : to cut off an arm or leg from the body

amputation

ˌam-pyə-ˈtā-shən 

noun

Medical Definition

amputate

transitive verb

am·​pu·​tate ˈam-pyə-ˌtāt 

amputated; amputating

: to cut (as a limb) from the body

amputation

ˌam-pyə-ˈtā-shən 

noun