surgeon general

American  

noun

• surgeons general
  plural

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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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• surgeons general
  plural

Etymology

Origin of surgeon general

First recorded in 1770–80

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

surgeon general

And yet, we’re the first generation to receive a formal advisory on parental stress from the surgeon general.

From Slate ● Aug. 11, 2026

In 2023 the U.S. surgeon general called loneliness and social isolation a public-health problem.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 10, 2026

Social isolation among older adults alone accounts for about $6.7 billion in excess Medicare spending a year, largely due to increased hospital and nursing-facility spending, the former surgeon general said in a report.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 19, 2026

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

From Salon ● Jan. 7, 2026

Dr. Victor Vaughn, acting surgeon general of the army, has witnessed firsthand the effects of the influenza at Camp Devens, a military camp near Boston.

From "Moon Over Manifest" by Clare Vanderpool