Meanings
nounonychectomy (plural onychectomies)
plural onychectomies
- medicineThe surgical removal of a fingernail or toenail.
- biologySurgically remove the distal phalange of each digit of the forefeet of a cat.
A good example of the potential discrepancy between human and feline goals is onychectomy, or declawing.
2015, Ilona Rodan, Sarah Heath, editors, Feline Behavioral Health and Welfare, Elsevier Health Sciences, →ISBN, page 17Synonyms: declawing
Synonyms & antonyms
nounSurgically remove the distal phalange of each digit of the forefeet of a cat.
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Also see
Origin
From onych- (“nail”) + -ectomy.
Full word history & related roots →Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with onychectomy
hysterectomymastectomyvasectomyprostatectomycholecystectomynephrectomyendarterectomysplenectomylumpectomytonsillectomygastrectomyappendectomyhepatectomyoophorectomyvitrectomythyroidectomyadrenalectomylaminectomydiscectomystapedectomycolectomylobectomycystectomyovariectomy
All rhymes →Cite this entry
APA
onychectomy. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/onychectomy
MLA
“onychectomy.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/onychectomy. Accessed November 3, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “onychectomy,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/onychectomy.
Source: onychectomy on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.