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.

---

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

---

Etymology

Origin of surgeon general

First recorded in 1770–80

Example Sentences

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

Meanwhile, the surgeon general oversees the more than 6,000-member Public Health Service Commissioned Corps—a uniformed service whose deployment is slower and more costly than civilian alternatives.

From The Wall Street Journal

The Surgeon General is supposed to provide Americans with “the best scientific information available on how to improve their health and reduce their risk of illness and injury,” according to the HHS website.

From The Wall Street Journal

Appeared in the February 26, 2026, print edition as 'A Vaccine Skeptic for Surgeon General'.

From The Wall Street Journal

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

From Salon