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Showing results for vasectomy. Search instead for tarsectomy.
Synonyms

vasectomy

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

noun

Surgery.

plural

vasectomies

  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-sĕk′tə-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

  • postvasectomy adjective

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.

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

It’s significant because it says so much about Alex — he just decides to get a vasectomy — but at the same time, I have friends who’ve had them, so it’s not that uncommon.

From Salon • Jan. 14, 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 Ellis, Havelock

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.