amputate

[am-pyoo-teyt]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR amputate ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used with object), am·pu·tat·ed, am·pu·tat·ing.

to cut off (all or part of a limb or digit of the body), as by surgery.

to prune, lop off, or remove: Because of space limitations the editor amputated the last two paragraphs of the news report.

Obsolete. to prune, as branches of trees.

Origin of amputate

1630–40; < Latin amputātus pruned, trimmed (past participle of amputāre), equivalent to am(bi) around (cf. ambi-) + put- trim + -ātus -ate¹

Related formsam·pu·ta·tion, nounam·pu·ta·tive, adjectiveam·pu·ta·tor, nounnon·am·pu·ta·tion, nounpost·am·pu·ta·tion, adjectiveself-am·pu·ta·tion, nounun·am·pu·tat·ed, adjectiveun·am·pu·ta·tive, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for amputate

sever, excise, truncate, separate, lop, eliminate, dismember

Examples from the Web for amputate

Historical Examples of amputate

If he amputate the disordered member, it is to save the life.
Female Scripture Biographies, Vol. I
Francis Augustus Cox
They could not operate on Rochard and amputate his leg, as they wanted to do.
The Backwash of War
Ellen N. La Motte
Pity one could not amputate her head, it would make a good woman of her.
Poor Jack
Frederick Marryat
We'll just put him to sleep for a minute while I amputate a leg.
Astounding Stories of Super-Science February 1930
Various
It was necessary for old Doc Robbins to amputate both at the shoulders.
Blue Ridge Country
Jean Thomas

British Dictionary definitions for amputate

amputate

verb

surgery to remove (all or part of a limb, esp an arm or leg)

Derived Formsamputation, nounamputator, noun

Word Origin for amputate

C17: from Latin amputāre, from am- around + putāre to trim, prune

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for amputate

1630s, back-formation from amputation or else from Latin amputatus, past participle of amputare "to cut off, to prune." Related: Amputated; amputating.

amputate in Medicine

amputate

[ăm′pyu-tāt′]

v.

To cut off a part of the body, especially by surgery.