Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com

amputation

American  
[am-pyuh-tay-shuhn, am-pyoo-] / ˌæm pjəˈteɪ ʃən, ˌæm pjʊ- /

noun

  • amputations
    plural
  1. the act or instance of surgically removing a limb or part of a limb.

  2. the act of removing something by cutting, as if by surgery.

  3. a disability caused by the loss of a limb or part of a limb.

  4. Medicine/Medical. any absence or loss of a limb or part of a limb, whether congenitally or due to surgery or disease.


Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

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.

See Examples For:

Former Kaiser CEO George Halvorson has written that if a diabetic in a Medicare Advantage plan requires a foot amputation, that will likely cost the plan $100,000.

From The Wall Street Journal Jul. 9, 2026

Doctors in Gaza had also recommended a further amputation to his leg.

From BBC Jul. 2, 2026

All we’re doing is increasing the likelihood of an above-the-knee amputation.

From Salon Jun. 22, 2026

Although the regenerated tissues were not exact matches to the original anatomy, the researchers successfully restored all of the major structures that had been removed during amputation, including bone, tendon, ligament, and joint tissue.

From Science Daily Jun. 17, 2026

Her finger had found little hard lumps there, and Tariq had told her they were spurs of bone that sometimes grew after an amputation.

From "A Thousand Splendid Suns" by Khaled Hosseini

At least 200 people have undergone amputations -- almost half of whom are minors -- according to the NGO Dos Santos Foundation, which is raising funds for prosthetics.

From Barron's Aug. 15, 2026

In Medicare Advantage, the number of amputations is a tiny fraction of that.

From The Wall Street Journal Jul. 9, 2026

Diabetic-related amputations and wound care are now MLK’s third-most common type of surgical procedures, after holding the top spot since the hospital’s 2015 opening.

From Los Angeles Times Jun. 14, 2026

Jenn Hall, National Director at Diabetes Scotland, explained that minor foot problems can lead to ulcers, infections and, at worst, amputations for people with diabetes.

From BBC May 10, 2026

Lister worried about the high number of hospital patients who died after undergoing surgeries such as leg amputations or repair of deep knife gashes.

From "Ambushed!" by Gail Jarrow

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Dictionary.com's Learning Companion

Go beyond just looking up words.
Remember them forever with VocabTrainer.

Start training