variants or less commonly preop
: preoperative
pre-op blood work
a pre-op exam

Examples of pre-op in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Then, two weeks into my pre-op ordeal, a teenaged redhead came into my room. Noor Hassan, Rolling Stone, 21 June 2025 The clip showed Haley under anesthesia as her sister danced in the pre-op room. Michelle Lee, People.com, 24 July 2025 In an actual medical setting, this approach looks like careful pre-op planning and methodical surgery followed by structured post-op care. Ethan Stone, USA Today, 20 Feb. 2026 The original command center was also outfitted with a hospital; the pre-op room contains the only shower in the entire facility. Jessi Jezewska Stevens, The Dial, 24 Apr. 2025 For international rhinoplasty patients, this can include pre-op testing schedules, accommodation planning, airport transfers, post-op check-ups, and remote follow-up. Miami Herald, 17 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1917, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of pre-op was in 1917

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pre-op.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pre-op. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Medical Definition

pre-op

adjective
: preoperative
a pre-op blood workup
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