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
Wright required multiple surgeries after the stumble, according to the Board of Estimates agenda, and claimed to possibly need more surgeries in the future.
—
Chevall Pryce, Baltimore Sun, 2 Apr. 2026
Her youngest son Oliver, now 2, was born with a hole in his heart and needed surgery, sending her on a six-month social media break.
—David Oliver, USA Today, 1 Apr. 2026
After the surgery, she was described as excited to have his clonidine dosage increased through a psychiatric consultation.
—Amelia Mugavero, CBS News, 1 Apr. 2026
But for the next six years, Chaz would have more pain, as well as surgeries, before the inflammatory skin condition was well-managed.
—Health Editorial Team, Health, 1 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for surgery
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Chevall Pryce, Baltimore Sun, 2 Apr. 2026
Her youngest son Oliver, now 2, was born with a hole in his heart and needed surgery, sending her on a six-month social media break.
—David Oliver, USA Today, 1 Apr. 2026
After the surgery, she was described as excited to have his clonidine dosage increased through a psychiatric consultation.
—Amelia Mugavero, CBS News, 1 Apr. 2026
But for the next six years, Chaz would have more pain, as well as surgeries, before the inflammatory skin condition was well-managed.
—Health Editorial Team, Health, 1 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for surgery
Cite this Entry
“Surgery.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/surgery. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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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