Meanings
nounsurgery (countable and uncountable, plural surgeries)
plural surgeries
- uncountableusuallymedicineThe act or process of medical intervention involving incisions to remove, repair, or replace a part of a body; an instance of this process (a procedure).
Surgery is often necessary to prevent cancer from spreading.
1 more example
When performed poorly, a labiaplasty — a procedure to reduce the size of the labia minora, and one of the fastest-growing cosmetic surgeries worldwide — can also damage nerves, leading to genital pain and loss of sexual sensation.
2022 October 17, Rachel E. Gross, “Half the World Has a Clitoris. Why Don’t Doctors Study It?”, in The New York TimesSynonyms: operation, bright lights and cold steel
- countableuncountablemedicineThe medical specialty related to the performance of surgical procedures.
Synonyms: operating room, operating theatre, theatre, bright lights and cold steel
- countableuncountableA room or department where surgery is performed.
The physician's proper place was in the library, not in the surgery.
2006, Philip Ball, The Devil's Doctor, Arrow, published 2007, page 51 - UKcountableuncountableA medical practitioner’s office hours.
Surgery is from six to seven o’clock. If you wanted to bring a dog in, that would be your best time.
1972, James Herriot, All Creatures Great and Small - countableslanguncountablebankruptcybusinessA pre-packaged bankruptcy or "quick bankruptcy".
- countableuncountablemathematicsThe production of a manifold by removing parts of one manifold and replacing them with corresponding parts of others.
- broadlycountablefigurativelyuncountableDrastic changes made to anything.
The C# compiler evidently performs some major surgery on your code each time you use the await keyword.
2019, Ian Griffiths, Programming C# 8.0: Build Cloud, Web, and Desktop Applications, page 716
Synonyms & antonyms
nounThe act or process of medical intervention involving incisions to remove, repair, or replace a part of a body; an instance of this process (a procedure).
nounThe medical specialty related to the performance of surgical procedures.
nounA doctor's office; a clinic.
Similar
Broader
medical speciality
Narrower
aesthetic surgerybloodless surgerybottom surgerybrain surgerybypass surgeryCaldwell-Luc surgerychest surgerycosmetic surgeryDehn surgerydental surgerygender affirmation surgerygender-affirming surgerygender realignment surgerygender reassignment surgerygeneral surgerykeyhole surgerylaparoscopic surgerylaser eye surgerylaser surgerymeatball surgerymicrofracture surgeryneedlescopic surgeryneurosurgeryopen-heart surgeryoral surgeryplastic surgeryremote surgeryself-surgerysex reassignment surgerysingle-incision laparoscopic surgerytelesurgeryTommy John surgerytop surgeryvanity surgery
More synonyms by meaning
nouna room in a hospital equipped for the performance of surgical operations
Similar
Broader
hospital room
nouna medical procedure involving an incision with instruments; performed to repair damage or arrest disease in a living body
Similar
Broader
medical procedure
Also see
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Proto-Indo-European*ǵʰes-
- Proto-Indo-European*ǵʰésōr
- Proto-Hellenic*kʰéhər
- Ancient Greekχείρ (kheír)
- Proto-Indo-European*werǵ-
- Proto-Indo-European*worǵós
- Proto-Hellenic*worgós
- Ancient Greekχειρουργός (kheirourgós)
- Ancient Greekχειρουργέω (kheirourgéō)
- Ancient Greekχειρουργίᾱ̆ (kheirourgíā̆)
- Latinchīrūrgia
- Old Frenchsurgie
- Old Frenchsurgerie
- Middle Englishsurgerie
- Englishsurgery
From Middle English surgerie, from Old French surgerie, from Latin chirurgia, from Ancient Greek χειρουργία (kheirourgía), from χείρ (kheír, “hand”) + ἔργον (érgon, “work”). Doublet of chirurgy.
More words from Middle English, Old French, Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Ancient Greek χειρουργία, χειρουργική
- χειρουργία (kheirourgía)procedure involving major incisions
- χειρουργική (kheirourgikḗ)medical specialty
Arabic عَمَلِيَّة جِرَاحِيَّة, جِرَاحَة
- عَمَلِيَّة جِرَاحِيَّة (ʕamaliyya jirāḥiyya)procedure involving major incisions
- جِرَاحَة (jirāḥa)procedure involving major incisions
- جِرَاحَة (jirāḥa)medical specialty
Bengali অস্ত্রোপচার
- অস্ত্রোপচার (ostrōpcar)procedure involving major incisions
Bulgarian опера́ция, хиру́ргия
- опера́ция (operácija)procedure involving major incisions
- хиру́ргия (hirúrgija)medical specialty
- операцио́нна (operaciónna)room or department where surgery is performed
- ле́карски кабине́т (lékarski kabinét)doctor's consulting room
Catalan cirurgia, operació
- cirurgiaprocedure involving major incisions
- operacióprocedure involving major incisions
- cirurgiamedical specialty
- quiròfanroom or department where surgery is performed
- consultoridoctor's consulting room
- consultadoctor's consulting room
Chinese Mandarin 手術 /手术, 外科學 /外科学
- 手術 /手术 (shǒushù)procedure involving major incisions
- 外科學 /外科学 (wàikēxué)medical specialty
- 外科 (wàikē)medical specialty
- 外科 (wàikē)room or department where surgery is performed
Czech operace, lékařský zákrok
- operaceprocedure involving major incisions
- lékařský zákrokprocedure involving major incisions
- chirurgický zákrokprocedure involving major incisions
- chirurgiemedical specialty
- chirurgieroom or department where surgery is performed
Danish operation, kirurgi
- operationprocedure involving major incisions
- kirurgimedical specialty
Dutch operatie, heelkunde
- operatieprocedure involving major incisions
- heelkundemedical specialty
- chirurgiemedical specialty
- operatiekamerroom or department where surgery is performed
- spreekkamerdoctor's consulting room
Esperanto operacio, ĥirurgio
- operacioprocedure involving major incisions
- ĥirurgiomedical specialty
- kirurgiomedical specialty
Estonian kirurgia
- kirurgiamedical specialty
Finnish leikkaus, leikkaushoito
- leikkausprocedure involving major incisions
- leikkaushoitoprocedure involving major incisions
- kirurgiamedical specialty
- leikkaussaliroom or department where surgery is performed
- kirurginen osastoroom or department where surgery is performed
- vastaanottodoctor's consulting room
- vastaanottohuonedoctor's consulting room
- vastaanottohuoneany consulting room
- vastaanottoany consulting room
French chirurgie, opération
- chirurgieprocedure involving major incisions
- opérationprocedure involving major incisions
- chirurgiemedical specialty
- salle opératoireroom or department where surgery is performed
- cabinetdoctor's consulting room
German Chirurgie, Operation
- Chirurgieprocedure involving major incisions
- Operationprocedure involving major incisions
- Chirurgiemedical specialty
- Operationssaalroom or department where surgery is performed
- Ordinationsraumdoctor's consulting room
Greek χειρουργείο, χειρουργική
- χειρουργείο (cheirourgeío)procedure involving major incisions
- χειρουργική (cheirourgikí)medical specialty
- χειρουργείο (cheirourgeío)room or department where surgery is performed
- ιατρείο (iatreío)doctor's consulting room
Hebrew ניתוח, נִתּוּחַ
- ניתוחprocedure involving major incisions
- נִתּוּחַ (nitúakh)procedure involving major incisions
- כִירוּרְגְּיָה (kirúrgya)medical specialty
Hindi शल्यचिकित्सा, शल्यचिकित्सा
- शल्यचिकित्सा (śalyacikitsā)procedure involving major incisions
- शल्यचिकित्सा (śalyacikitsā)medical specialty
Hungarian operáció, műtét
- operációprocedure involving major incisions
- műtétprocedure involving major incisions
- sebészetmedical specialty
- műtőroom or department where surgery is performed
- rendelődoctor's consulting room
- fogadóhelyiségany consulting room
- tárgyalóteremany consulting room
- irodaany consulting room
- fogadóóraany arrangement where people arrive and wait for an interview with certain people, particularly a politician
- ügyfélfogadásany arrangement where people arrive and wait for an interview with certain people, particularly a politician
Icelandic uppskurður, uppskurður
- uppskurðurprocedure involving major incisions
- uppskurðurmedical specialty
Indonesian operasi, pembedahan
- operasiprocedure involving major incisions
- pembedahanprocedure involving major incisions
- bedahmedical specialty
- ilmu bedahmedical specialty
- kamar operasiroom or department where surgery is performed
- kamar bedahroom or department where surgery is performed
Irish cur faoi scian, gnáthamh máinliachta
- cur faoi scianprocedure involving major incisions
- gnáthamh máinliachtaprocedure involving major incisions
- obráidprocedure involving major incisions
- máinliachtmedical specialty
- áras máinliachtaroom or department where surgery is performed
- lialanndoctor's consulting room
Italian chirurgia, operazione chirurgica
- chirurgiaprocedure involving major incisions
- operazione chirurgicaprocedure involving major incisions
- intervento chirurgicoprocedure involving major incisions
- operazioneprocedure involving major incisions
- chirurgiamedical specialty
- sala operatoriaroom or department where surgery is performed
- ambulatoriodoctor's consulting room
Japanese 手術, 外科
- 手術 (shujutsu)procedure involving major incisions
- 外科 (geka)medical specialty
- 外科学 (gekagaku)medical specialty
- 手術室 (shujutsusitsu)room or department where surgery is performed
Korean 수술, 외과
- 수술 (susul)procedure involving major incisions
- 외과 (oegwa)medical specialty
- 외과학 (oegwahak)medical specialty
- 수술실 (susulsil)room or department where surgery is performed
Latin chīrurgia
- chīrurgiaprocedure involving major incisions
Latvian ķirurģija
- ķirurģijamedical specialty
Lithuanian operacija, chirurgija
- operacijaprocedure involving major incisions
- chirurgijamedical specialty
- operacinėroom or department where surgery is performed
Malay pembedahan, pembedahan
- pembedahanprocedure involving major incisions
- pembedahanmedical specialty
Māori hāparatanga, hāparaparatanga
- hāparatangaprocedure involving major incisions
- hāparaparatangaprocedure involving major incisions
- whare ratadoctor's consulting room
Norwegian Bokmål operasjon, kirurgi
- operasjonprocedure involving major incisions
- kirurgimedical specialty
Persian جراحی, جراحی
- جراحی (jarrâhi)procedure involving major incisions
- جراحی (jarrâhi)medical specialty
Polish operacja, chirurgia
- operacjaprocedure involving major incisions
- chirurgiamedical specialty
- gabinet lekarskidoctor's consulting room
Portuguese operação, cirurgia
- operaçãoprocedure involving major incisions
- cirurgiaprocedure involving major incisions
- cirurgiamedical specialty
- sala de cirurgia/operaçãoroom or department where surgery is performed
- consultóriodoctor's consulting room
- consultórioany consulting room
Romanian operație, chirurgie
- operațieprocedure involving major incisions
- chirurgiemedical specialty
Russian опера́ция, хирурги́я
- опера́ция (operácija)procedure involving major incisions
- хирурги́я (xirurgíja)medical specialty
- операцио́нная (operaciónnaja)room or department where surgery is performed
- хирурги́ческое отделе́ние (xirurgíčeskoje otdelénije)room or department where surgery is performed
- кабине́т врача́ (kabinét vračá)doctor's consulting room
Slovak operácia, chirurgia
- operáciaprocedure involving major incisions
- chirurgiamedical specialty
Spanish operación, cirugía
- operaciónprocedure involving major incisions
- cirugíaprocedure involving major incisions
- cirugíamedical specialty
- quirófanoroom or department where surgery is performed
- pabellónroom or department where surgery is performed
- consultadoctor's consulting room
- consultoriodoctor's consulting room
- consultaany consulting room
- consultorioany consulting room
Swedish operation, kirurgi
- operationprocedure involving major incisions
- kirurgimedical specialty
- operationssalroom or department where surgery is performed
Tagalog palatistisan, palatistisan
- palatistisanprocedure involving major incisions
- palatistisanmedical specialty
Tamil அறுவை சிகிச்சை, அறுவை சிகிச்சை
- அறுவை சிகிச்சை (aṟuvai cikiccai)procedure involving major incisions
- அறுவை சிகிச்சை (aṟuvai cikiccai)medical specialty
- அறுவை அரங்கு (aṟuvai araṅku)room or department where surgery is performed
- அறுவை சிகிச்சை அரங்கு (aṟuvai cikiccai araṅku)room or department where surgery is performed
- மருத்துவக் காண்பகம் (maruttuvak kāṇpakam)doctor's consulting room
- காண்பகம் (kāṇpakam)any consulting room
Thai ศัลยกรรม, ศัลยศาสตร์
- ศัลยกรรม (sǎn-yá-gam)procedure involving major incisions
- ศัลยศาสตร์ (sǎn-lá-yá-sàat)medical specialty
Turkish ameliyat, cerrahlık
- ameliyatprocedure involving major incisions
- cerrahlıkmedical specialty
- cerrahimedical specialty
- ameliyathaneroom or department where surgery is performed
- şirürjiroom or department where surgery is performed
- muayenehanedoctor's consulting room
Ukrainian опера́ція, хірургі́я
- опера́ція (operácija)procedure involving major incisions
- хірургі́я (xirurhíja)medical specialty
- операці́йна (operacíjna)room or department where surgery is performed
- хірургі́чне відді́лення (xirurhíčne viddílennja)room or department where surgery is performed
- лі́карський кабіне́т (líkarsʹkyj kabinét)doctor's consulting room
- кабіне́т лі́каря (kabinét líkarja)doctor's consulting room
Urdu جراحی, جَراحَت
- جراحی (jarrāhī)procedure involving major incisions
- جَراحَت (jarāhat)medical specialty
Vietnamese phẫu thuật, ngoại khoa
- phẫu thuậtprocedure involving major incisions
- ngoại khoamedical specialty
Welsh llawdriniaeth, llawfeddygwaith
- llawdriniaethprocedure involving major incisions
- llawfeddygwaithprocedure involving major incisions
- llawfeddygaethmedical specialty
- meddygfadoctor's consulting room
Yiddish אָפּעראַציע, כירורגיע
- אָפּעראַציע (operatsye)procedure involving major incisions
- כירורגיע (khirurgye)medical specialty
- כירורגיע (khirurgye)room or department where surgery is performed
Cite this entry
APA
surgery. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/surgery
MLA
“surgery.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/surgery. Accessed November 2, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “surgery,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/surgery.
Source: surgery on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.