plastic surgery

American  

noun

1. the branch of surgery dealing with the repair or replacement of malformed, injured, or lost organs or tissues of the body, chiefly by the transplant of living tissues.

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plastic surgery British  

noun

1. Also called: anaplasty.  the branch of surgery concerned with therapeutic or cosmetic repair or re-formation of missing, injured, or malformed tissues or parts

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plastic surgery Scientific  

1. The branch of surgery that deals with the remodeling, repair, or restoration of body parts, especially by the transfer of tissue.

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plastic surgery Cultural  

1. Surgery that repairs or reconstructs a body part. Plastic surgery is used to correct physical defects and to rebuild parts of the body that have been damaged by trauma or disease. Some examples of plastic surgery are breast reconstruction for women who have undergone a mastectomy and skin grafting for burn victims.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• plastic surgeon
  noun

Etymology

Origin of plastic surgery

First recorded in 1830–40

Example Sentences

Alastair is likely to have reconstructive plastic surgery to improve this in about a year's time.

From BBC • May 6, 2026

She carried that through the end of the clip when she recalled a conversation with Dean about upsides of, yep, plastic surgery.

From Los Angeles Times • May 4, 2026

He has reportedly had plastic surgery to change his appearance while on the run.

From BBC • Jan. 23, 2026

Why did a woman seemingly dependent on wigs, makeup and, eventually, plastic surgery seem so real and admirable to so many?

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 2, 2026

The way her old lady talks you’d think Lorraine needed internal plastic surgery and seventeen body braces, but if you ask me, all she needs is a little confidence.

From "The Pigman" by Paul Zindel

Related Words

• breast implant
• cosmetic surgery
• liposuction