surgeon general
Americannoun
plural
surgeons general-
the chief of medical services in one of the armed forces.
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(initial capital letters) the head of the U.S. Bureau of Public Health or, in some states, of a state health agency.
noun
-
(in the British, US, and certain other armies and navies) the senior officer of the medical service
-
the head of the public health service in the US
Etymology
Origin of surgeon general
First recorded in 1770–80
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.
O’Neill’s departure was followed by the resignation of Dr. Ralph Abraham, a former Louisiana surgeon general who served as the CDC’s principal deputy director for less than three months.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 2, 2026
Lurie said that the surgeon general has essentially two formal functions in the government.
From Salon • Jan. 7, 2026
"We'll end up having pockets of outbreaks of different types of infectious diseases," Florida's former surgeon general, Scott Rivkees, told the BBC.
From BBC • Sep. 14, 2025
Regrettably, Loomer also disapproves of Means’ selection as surgeon general, in part due to her history of talking to trees.
From Slate • May 10, 2025
He is closely followed by the future surgeon general Charles H. Crane.
From "Lincoln's Last Days: The Shocking Assassination that Changed America Forever" by Bill O'Reilly
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.
