thoracotomy

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noun

The surgical procedure of making an incision into the chest, normally as a first step to gain access to the thoracic organs, such as the heart, the lungs, and the esophagus.

OriginAncient Greek τέμνω (témnō) ← Proto-Indo-European *temh₁- ← English thoraco- →
UncommonScrabble 21
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Meanings

nounthoracotomy (plural thoracotomies)

plural thoracotomies

  1. medicineThe surgical procedure of making an incision into the chest, normally as a first step to gain access to the thoracic organs, such as the heart, the lungs, and the esophagus.

Origin

  1. Englishthoraco-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*temh₁-
  3. Ancient Greekτέμνω (témnō)
  4. Englishthoracotomy

From thoraco- + -tomy.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Finnish torakotomia, rintakehän avausleikkaus
  • torakotomiasurgical procedure
  • rintakehän avausleikkaussurgical procedure
Latin chirurgia thoracica
  • chirurgia thoracicasurgical procedure
Spanish taracotomía
  • taracotomíasurgical procedure
Cite this entry
APA

thoracotomy. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/thoracotomy

MLA

“thoracotomy.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/thoracotomy. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “thoracotomy,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/thoracotomy.

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