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vasectomy

American  
[va-sek-tuh-mee] / væˈsɛk tə mi /

noun

Surgery.
  • vasectomies
    plural
  1. excision of the vas deferens, or of a portion of it: performed to effect sterility in men.


vasectomy British  
/ væˈsɛktəmɪ /

noun

  1. surgical removal of all or part of the vas deferens, esp as a method of contraception

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

vasectomy Scientific  
/ və-sĕktə-mē /
  1. Surgical removal of all or part of the vas deferens, resulting in sterility.


vasectomy Cultural  
  1. A surgical procedure in which the ducts that carry sperm out of the testes are cut and tied off so that no sperm can pass. Vasectomy is a form of male sterilization and is used as a method of birth control. The procedure has no effect on a man's capacity to produce semen; the only difference is that his semen will no longer contain sperm.


Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Inflected Forms

Nouns

Etymology

Origin of vasectomy

First recorded in 1895–1900; vas (deferens) + -ectomy

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.

See Examples For:

The questions from Sam's doctor were designed to ensure he was making a decision he could live with; men under 30 are more likely to regret a vasectomy, according to guidance from NHS Scotland, external.

From BBC Aug. 1, 2026

One doctor said she has had to postpone vasectomy appointments because of the time needed for house calls and because patients are afraid to come in.

From The Wall Street Journal Jan. 31, 2026

Lead author Mike Garratt of the University of Otago explains that only castration, not vasectomy, increased male lifespan.

From Science Daily Jan. 16, 2026

Perhaps most notably, there is a rising interest in vasectomy rates for men who are usually less likely to seek them: men who are young and/or who have no children.

From Slate Jun. 15, 2025

For men, there is the simple method of vasectomy, as recommended by Näcke and many others.

From Studies in the Psychology of Sex, Volume 6 Sex in Relation to Society by Havelock Ellis

There had also been a slight rise on the previous year in younger men choosing to have the snip - about 950 vasectomies were performed on men aged under 30 in England during 2024-25.

From BBC Aug. 1, 2026

While vasectomies are considered long-term, many men hesitate to undergo the procedure, even though reversal surgery is sometimes possible.

From Science Daily Apr. 7, 2026

More than 50 Planned Parenthood clinics nationwide closed in the last year; some are consolidating to make ends meet or adding new procedures such as vasectomies.

From The Wall Street Journal Mar. 1, 2026

We’re seeing that increased interest in contraception play out already, as more and more men are considering vasectomies in the post-Dobbs era.

From Slate Jun. 15, 2025

In 2024, new research found that despite all the attention on male vasectomies post-Dobbs, the rise in tubal sterilizations among females was twice as high as the increase among vasectomies in males.

From Salon Dec. 27, 2024

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