surgery
noun
sur·gery
ˈsər-jə-rē 
ˈsərj-
plural surgeries
1
: a branch of medicine concerned with diseases and conditions requiring or amenable to operative or manual procedures
2
: alterations made as if by surgery
literary surgery
3
a
British
: a physician's or dentist's office
b
: a room or area where surgery is performed
Examples of surgery in a Sentence
He's a specialist in brain surgery.
The doctor has recommended surgery.
He has recently undergone surgery on his shoulder.
a doctor who has performed many surgeries
The patient was taken directly to surgery.
Recent Examples on the Web
The Minnesota Vikings are liable to act quickly in their effort to replace backup quarterback Carson Wentz, who will miss the remainder of the season with a shoulder injury that requires surgery to repair.
—
Max Dible, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Oct. 2025
The trial showed that the surgery is generally safe.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 28 Oct. 2025
The surgery saved him — but left Richards missing half his face.
—Cara Lynn Shultz, PEOPLE, 28 Oct. 2025
For anesthesia to work effectively, it's required to fast for nearly 24 hours before surgery.
—Ayesha Gulzar, Verywell Health, 28 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for surgery
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Max Dible, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Oct. 2025
The trial showed that the surgery is generally safe.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 28 Oct. 2025
The surgery saved him — but left Richards missing half his face.
—Cara Lynn Shultz, PEOPLE, 28 Oct. 2025
For anesthesia to work effectively, it's required to fast for nearly 24 hours before surgery.
—Ayesha Gulzar, Verywell Health, 28 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for surgery
Cite this Entry
“Surgery.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/surgery. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
surgery
noun
sur·gery
ˈsərj-(ə-)rē
plural surgeries
1
: medical science concerned with the correction of physical defects, the repair and healing of injuries, and the treatment of diseased conditions especially by operations
2
a
: the work done by a surgeon
3
: a room or area where surgery is performed
Etymology
Middle English surgerie "surgery," from early French cirurgerie, surgerie (same meaning), from Latin chirurgia (same meaning), derived from Greek cheirourgos "surgeon," from cheirourgos "doing by hand," from cheir "hand" and ergon "work"
Medical Definition
surgery
noun
sur·gery
ˈsərj-(ə-)rē
plural surgeries
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