surgeon general

American  

noun

plural

surgeons general

1. the chief of medical services in one of the armed forces.

2. (initial capital letters) the head of the U.S. Bureau of Public Health or, in some states, of a state health agency.

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surgeon general British  

noun

1. (in the British, US, and certain other armies and navies) the senior officer of the medical service

2. the head of the public health service in the US

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Etymology

Origin of surgeon general

First recorded in 1770–80

Example Sentences

Lurie said that the surgeon general has essentially two formal functions in the government.

From Salon

Lurie said that usually the most powerful surgeon general reports are those that leave consumers with the ability to make changes themselves or that might spur policy change.

From Salon

“It’s awful how much waste that is,” said Pamela Schweitzer, a pharmacist and former assistant U.S. surgeon general.

From The Wall Street Journal

Surgeon General Vivek Murthy calls this the most isolated generation, with young American men significantly lonelier than peers in other countries.

From The Wall Street Journal

Surgeon General in his 2025 advisory, potentially reducing preventable cancer-related deaths.

From Science Daily