phalloplasty

noun

plural phalloplasties
: plastic surgery to repair, modify, or construct the penis or scrotum
Phalloplasty for men following penile cancer treatment is feasible, with good reported satisfaction rates despite the significant risks of complications.Andrea Gobbo et al.
especially : a type of gender-affirming surgery in which a penis is constructed from tissues taken from the forearm or thigh and that often also includes lengthening the urethra and connecting it to the new penis and implanting testicular protheses or a device to enable erections
A year after starting therapy, he had top surgery—a bilateral mastectomy in June 2011. … He had bottom surgery in 2014. The procedure was a complete phalloplasty, in which the surgeon created a penis and scrotum grafted from his left arm, removing the vagina. Ande Richards
compare metoidioplasty

Word History

Etymology

phallus + -o- + -plasty, after German Phalloplastik

First Known Use

1858, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of phalloplasty was in 1858

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Phalloplasty.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/phalloplasty. Accessed 26 Aug. 2026.

Medical Definition

phalloplasty

noun
plural phalloplasties
: plastic surgery of the penis or scrotum
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