amputate

verb

am·​pu·​tate ˈam-pyə-ˌtāt How to pronounce amputate (audio)
amputated; amputating
Synonyms of amputatenext

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 How to pronounce amputate (audio)
noun

Examples of amputate in a Sentence

His arm was badly injured and had to be amputated.
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.
Haines, a 65-year-old independent lawmaker, remained in critical condition on Thursday in a Melbourne hospital where surgeons have amputated both her legs, a health department statement said. — ABC News, 22 Oct. 2026 Husband says Haines has lost both her legs Haines’ husband said her left leg was amputated on Monday and her right leg was amputated on Wednesday after doctors abandoned hope of saving it. — Rod McGuirk, Los Angeles Times, 21 Oct. 2026 Speaking at the hospital on Wednesday, Haines' husband of almost 40 years, Phil, said that after days in intensive care, surgeons had been forced to amputate both her legs. — CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026 Brisbane, Australia — The Australian lawmaker hit by a car in an allegedly deliberate attack has now had both legs amputated, her husband announced Wednesday. — Hilary Whiteman, CNN Money, 21 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for amputate

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of amputate was in 1612

Rhymes for amputate

See All Rhymes for amputate

Browse Nearby Words

ampulliform
amputate
amputation
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Amputate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/amputate. Accessed 30 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

amputate

verb
am·​pu·​tate ˈam-pyə-ˌtāt How to pronounce amputate (audio)
amputated; amputating
: to cut off
especially : to cut off an arm or leg from the body
amputation
ˌam-pyə-ˈtā-shən How to pronounce amputate (audio)
noun

Medical Definition

amputate

transitive verb
am·​pu·​tate ˈam-pyə-ˌtāt How to pronounce amputate (audio)
amputated; amputating
: to cut (as a limb) from the body
amputation
ˌam-pyə-ˈtā-shən How to pronounce amputate (audio)
noun

More from Merriam-Webster on amputate

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for amputate

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of reticent

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Pwn, Skibidi, Girlboss and Other Words Added to the 2026 Scrabble Dictionary

The Words of the Week - Oct. 30

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
different halloween monsters in silhouette
A Monstrous Vocab Quiz Words That Go Bump in the Night
See All