amputate

verb

am·​pu·​tate ˈam-pyə-ˌtāt How to pronounce amputate (audio)
amputated; amputating
Synonyms of amputatenext

transitive verb

: to remove by or as if by cutting
especially : to cut (a part, such as a limb) from the body
amputation noun

Examples of amputate in a Sentence

His arm was badly injured and had to be amputated.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Veterinarians later determined blood flow to Ziggy's rear left leg had been cut off, and doctors were forced to amputate. Ross Dimattei, CBS News, 3 Jan. 2026 After chemotherapy failed, his right leg was surgically amputated above the knee in 1973. Sarah Jones, PEOPLE, 31 Dec. 2025 Dickinson's right leg was amputated in 2021, his daughter wrote on Facebook, adding that he was fitted with a prosthetic a few months later and re-learned how to walk. Landon Mion, FOXNews.com, 26 Dec. 2025 The Duchess of Sussex spent the weekend ringing round hospitals in the Philippines, where her father had a leg amputated during life saving surgery last week. Jack Royston, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for amputate

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Latin amputātus, past participle of amputāre "to prune back (a plant), prune away, remove by cutting (unwanted parts or features), cut off (a branch, limb, body part)," from am-, assimilated variant of amb- "about, around" + putāre "to prune, make clean or tidy, scour (wool)" — more at ambient entry 1, putative

First Known Use

1612, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of amputate was in 1612

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Amputate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/amputate. Accessed 6 Jan. 2026.

Kids Definition

amputate

verb
am·​pu·​tate ˈam-pyə-ˌtāt How to pronounce amputate (audio)
amputated; amputating
: to cut off
especially : to cut off an arm or leg from the body
amputation noun

Medical Definition

amputate

transitive verb
am·​pu·​tate ˈam-pyə-ˌtāt How to pronounce amputate (audio)
amputated; amputating
: to cut (as a limb) from the body
amputation noun

More from Merriam-Webster on amputate

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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