keratomileusis

K5E1R1A1T1O1M3I1L1E1U1S1I1S1
/ˌkɛɹətəʊmaɪˈl(j)uːsɪs//ˌkɛɹətəʊmɪˈl(j)uːsɪs/

noun

Improvement of the refractive state of the cornea, performed by cutting a thin hinged flap in the front surface of the eye and lifting it to access the cornea.

OriginSpanish queratomileusis ← Ancient Greek κέρας →
UncommonScrabble 20
Ask AI about this wordChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

Meanings

nounkeratomileusis (usually uncountable, plural keratomileuses)

plural keratomileuses

  1. uncountableusuallymedicineImprovement of the refractive state of the cornea, performed by cutting a thin hinged flap in the front surface of the eye and lifting it to access the cornea.

    The most popular form of laser eye surgery is "laser-assisted in-situ keratomileusis," or Lasik for short. More than 85% of laser eye surgery patients in Europe and the US opt for it.

    2006 November 24, Ed Ewing, “Consumer test: Laser eye surgery”, in Alan Rusbridger, editor, The Guardian, London: Guardian News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 26 Sep 2014

Origin

  1. Ancient Greekκέρας“horn”
  2. Spanishqueratomileusis
  3. Englishkeratomileusis

From Spanish queratomileusis, coined by Spanish physician José Barraquer in 1963 from Ancient Greek κέρας (kéras, “horn”), equivalent to kerato-, + σμίλευσις (smíleusis, “carving”).

More words from Spanish, Ancient Greek

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

keratomileusis. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/keratomileusis

MLA

“keratomileusis.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/keratomileusis. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “keratomileusis,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/keratomileusis.

Source: keratomileusis on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.