surgeon general
Americannoun
plural
surgeons general-
the chief of medical services in one of the armed forces.
-
(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.
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 • Jan. 7, 2026
The wellness author, picked by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to be surgeon general, was due to give birth to her first child Tuesday, just days before her expected virtual Senate confirmation hearing Thursday.
From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 30, 2025
"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
The requirement came under criticism by Dr. Jerome Adams, a former surgeon general who served under the first Trump administration.
From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 3, 2025
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
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.
