Surgical
/ˈsɜːr.dʒɪ.kəl/noun
Relating to the practice of treating injuries or diseases by cutting into the body or removing tissue.
Did you know?The word ultimately comes from Greek *kheirourgos*—literally ‘hand-worker’—which passed through Latin and Old French before becoming English, a reminder that surgery began as skilled manual craft, not sterile science.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*gʰesr̥-
“hand”
Ancient Greek
Greek
χείρ (kheír)
“hand”
Ancient Greek
Greek
χειρουργός (kheirourgós)
“working with the hands, a surgeon”
Late Latin
Latin
chirurgicus
“pertaining to surgery; surgical”
Old French
Old French
surgical
“surgical, relating to surgery”
Middle English
English
surgical
“relating to surgery”
Modern English
English
surgical
“relating to surgery”
Explore more surprising origins