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n. pl. sur·ger·ies 1. The branch of medicine that deals with the diagnosis and treatment of injury, deformity, and disease by the use of instruments. 2. a. Treatment based on such medicine, typically involving the removal or replacement of diseased tissue by cutting: The athlete had surgery on his knee. b. A procedure that is part of this treatment; an operation: The doctor performed three surgeries this morning. 3. An operating room or a laboratory of a surgeon or of a hospital's surgical staff: How long has the patient been in surgery? 4. Chiefly British a. A physician's, dentist's, or veterinarian's office. b. The period during which a physician, dentist, or veterinarian consults with or treats patients in the office. [Middle English surgerie, from Old French, alteration of cirurgerie, from cirurgie, from Latin chīrūrgia, from Greek kheirourgiā, from kheirourgos, working by hand : kheir, hand; see ghes- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots + ergon, work; see werg- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.] |
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