surgical

[ sur-ji-kuhl ]

adjective

1. pertaining to or involving surgery or surgeons.
2. used in surgery.
3. characterized by extreme precision or incisiveness:

   a surgical air strike against enemy targets.

surgical

/ ˈsɜːdʒɪkəl /

adjective

1. of, relating to, involving, or used in surgery
2. (of an action) performed with extreme precision

   a surgical air attack on the missile complex

Derived Forms

• ˈsurgically, adverb

Other Words From

• surgi·cal·ly adverb
• non·surgi·cal adjective
• non·surgi·cal·ly adverb
• post·surgi·cal adjective
• pre·surgi·cal adjective
• pro·surgi·cal adjective
• un·surgi·cal adjective
• un·surgi·cal·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of surgical¹

First recorded in 1760–70; surg(eon) + -ical

Example Sentences

The stations and ABC News won’t lose any on-air talent in the latest round of cost reductions, which Disney management described as “surgical.”

From Los Angeles Times

Landry has also made it legal to use nitrogen as a form of capital punishment, added medication to induce abortion on the state’s list of controlled dangerous substances and made it so judges can order surgical castration for child sex offenders.

From Salon

He said that the aorta was repaired by the surgical team, and the gastric sleeve procedure cancelled due to the complications.

From BBC

"Unfortunately, my surgical placements were all with, let's say, school surgeons who would have different mentalities to what we have today," she says.

From BBC

Elena's main job is working with the major trauma team, but is also involved with the team that deals with patients that have acute surgical issues.

From BBC