surgery

American  

[sur-juh-ree] / ˈsɜr dʒə ri /

noun

plural

surgeries

1. the art, practice, or work of treating diseases, injuries, or deformities by manual or operative procedures.

2. the branch of medicine concerned with such treatment.

3. treatment, as an operation, performed by a surgeon.

4. a room or place for surgical operations.

5. British. a doctor's or dentist's office or office hours.

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surgery British  

/ ˈsɜːdʒərɪ /

noun

1. the branch of medicine concerned with treating disease, injuries, etc, by means of manual or operative procedures, esp by incision into the body

2. the performance of such procedures by a surgeon

3. a place where a doctor, dentist, etc, can be consulted

4. an occasion when an MP, lawyer, etc, is available for consultation

5. an operating theatre where surgical operations are performed

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Other Word Forms

• presurgery adjective

Etymology

Origin of surgery

1250–1300; Middle English surgerie < Old French cirurgerie chirurgery

Example Sentences

Garcia, who missed his junior season after arm surgery, touched 97 mph while striking out 10 and giving up three hits in six innings.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026

"This isn't screening for a head cold. This is screening for cancer. This is screening for a condition that could result in major surgery or even take your life," Dillon added.

From BBC • Mar. 31, 2026

It led to the widespread belief that the splitter was the cause of the rapidly increasing rate of Tommy John surgery.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 31, 2026

Since their invention in the 1960s, lasers have transformed both science and daily life, powering everything from grocery store scanners to vision-correcting surgery.

From Science Daily • Mar. 31, 2026

As more effective procedures were developed, surgery and wound treatment became safer.

From "Ambushed!" by Gail Jarrow