surgical

American  

[sur-ji-kuhl] / ˈsɜr dʒɪ kəl /

adjective

1. pertaining to or involving surgery or surgeons.

2. used in surgery.

3. characterized by extreme precision or incisiveness.

   a surgical air strike against enemy targets.

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surgical British  

/ ˈsɜːdʒɪkəl /

adjective

1. of, relating to, involving, or used in surgery

2. (of an action) performed with extreme precision

   a surgical air attack on the missile complex

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Other Word Forms

• nonsurgical adjective
• nonsurgically adverb
• postsurgical adjective
• presurgical adjective
• prosurgical adjective
• surgically adverb
• unsurgical adjective
• unsurgically adverb

Etymology

Origin of surgical

First recorded in 1760–70; surg(eon) + -ical

Example Sentences

The move came after the maker of surgical wound care and oral car products reported External link adjusted earnings per share of $1.57 on Thursday evening, up from $1.41 a year ago.

From Barron's

A future in which robots perform surgical operations or make accurate diagnoses remains the stuff of science fiction.

From Los Angeles Times

Dr. Muhsen Abdullah, the surgeon who heads the emergency room, spoke with a weary tone of a ward without surgical thread or stitches, and anesthesiologists forced to ask patients to purchase their own anesthetic.

From Los Angeles Times

A surgical approach to the flaws and foibles of American society.

From The Wall Street Journal

Scientists are using spider silk to help develop surgical devices for nerve regeneration.

From BBC