Meanings
nounlithotripsy (plural lithotripsies)
plural lithotripsies
- medicineA treatment, typically using ultrasound shock waves or crushing with a surgical instrument, by which a kidney stone or similar calculus is broken into particles small enough to be voided or washed out.
Origin
From litho- (“relating to a stone or calculus”) + Ancient Greek τρῖψῐς (trîpsĭs, “rubbing, friction”) + -y.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Chinese Mandarin 碎石術 /碎石术
- 碎石術 /碎石术 (suìshíshù)medical treatment
Finnish litotripsia
- litotripsiamedical treatment
French lithotripsie, lithotritie
- lithotripsiemedical treatment
- lithotritiemedical treatment
Greek λιθοτριψία
- λιθοτριψία (lithotripsía)medical treatment
Polish litotrypsja
- litotrypsjamedical treatment
Turkish litotripsi
- litotripsimedical treatment
Cite this entry
APA
lithotripsy. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/lithotripsy
MLA
“lithotripsy.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/lithotripsy. Accessed November 3, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “lithotripsy,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/lithotripsy.
Source: lithotripsy on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.