orthopedic
Americanadjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of orthopedic
First recorded in 1830–40; ortho- + Greek paid- (stem of paîs “child”; cf. ped-) + -ic
Explanation
An orthopedic surgeon is one who operates on bones and muscles to fix them. The word orthopedic comes from the Greek orthos meaning "straight, correct" and paideia meaning "rearing of children." The term was originally used for children and the kind of treatment they received for skeletal deformities like bow legs or knock-knees. An orthopedic shoe is one that is supposed to help correct the deformed bones and support the weakened muscles of a foot.
Vocabulary lists containing orthopedic
Flowers for Algernon
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Clean Getaway
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Merci Suárez Changes Gears
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
She also holds a joint appointment in the Center for Musculoskeletal Research in the Department of Orthopedic Surgery.
From Science Daily • Mar. 23, 2026
“Shohei had his procedure this morning at Kerlan & Jobe Orthopedic Clinic in Los Angeles,” Balelo said in a statement.
From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 19, 2023
Orthopedic surgeries have been completed in 17 of these cases, with other surgeries recommended in another 21.
From Seattle Times • Sep. 18, 2023
A first-time ACL reconstruction surgery, with no co-injuries, has a standard healing period of eight to 12 months, according to Dr. Alan Beyer, the executive medical director and orthopedic surgeon at Hoag Orthopedic Institute.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 17, 2023
Orthopedic products had to be: unreliable, hard to service, unsightly, intricate, and uncomfortable.
From A Matter of Proportion by Walker, Anne
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
