surgery

noun

sur·​gery ˈsər-jə-rē How to pronounce surgery (audio)
ˈsərj-
plural surgeries
1
: a branch of medicine concerned with diseases and conditions requiring or amenable to operative or manual procedures
2
: alterations made as if by surgery
literary surgery
3
a
British : a physician's or dentist's office
b
: a room or area where surgery is performed
4
a
: the work done by a surgeon
b
: operation

Examples of surgery in a Sentence

He's a specialist in brain surgery. The doctor has recommended surgery. He has recently undergone surgery on his shoulder. a doctor who has performed many surgeries The patient was taken directly to surgery.
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.
Four years of vocal cord surgeries for frontman Jon Bon Jovi. — Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 8 July 2026 Bijou Phillips underwent kidney transplant surgery and thanked everyone who answered her very public plea for lifesaving help. — David K. Li, NBC news, 8 July 2026 Ashley Turner said the doctors had told her family that her father was recovering quickly and, with hope, would get to go home after two more surgeries. — Jazmin Alvarado, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2026 Matt Gage, meanwhile, is only expected to miss a couple of weeks with a moderate flexor tendon strain rather a season-ending ligament surgery. — Cam Inman, Mercury News, 8 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for surgery

Word History

Etymology

Middle English surgerie, from Anglo-French cirurgerie, surgerie, from Latin chirurgia, from Greek cheirourgia, from cheirourgos surgeon, from cheirourgos doing by hand, from cheir hand + ergon work — more at chir-, work

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of surgery was in the 14th century

Phrases Containing surgery

Rhymes for surgery

See All Rhymes for surgery

Browse Nearby Words

surge protector
surgery
surge tank
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Surgery.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/surgery. Accessed 9 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

surgery

noun
sur·​gery ˈsərj-(ə-)rē How to pronounce surgery (audio)
plural surgeries
1
: medical science concerned with the correction of physical defects, the repair and healing of injuries, and the treatment of diseased conditions especially by operations
2
a
: the work done by a surgeon
b
: operation sense 3
3
: a room or area where surgery is performed
Etymology

Middle English surgerie "surgery," from early French cirurgerie, surgerie (same meaning), from Latin chirurgia (same meaning), derived from Greek cheirourgos "surgeon," from cheirourgos "doing by hand," from cheir "hand" and ergon "work"

Medical Definition

surgery

noun
sur·​gery ˈsərj-(ə-)rē How to pronounce surgery (audio)
plural surgeries
1
: a branch of medicine concerned with diseases and conditions requiring or amenable to operative or manual procedures
2
a
British : a physician's or dentist's office
b
: a room or area where surgery is performed
3
a
: the work done by a surgeon
b
: operation

More from Merriam-Webster on surgery

Nglish: Translation of surgery for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about surgery

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