surgery

surgery — noun

1. the area of medicine in which a trained doctor opens a living person's or animal

1.nounB2
Definition

the area of medicine in which a trained doctor opens a living person's or animal's body to fix or remove parts that are damaged or causing disease

Example

Dr. Okafor decided to specialize in surgery after watching his first operation during medical school.

collocation: specialize in surgery

Advances in surgery have made heart operations much safer than thirty years ago.

collocation: advances in surgery

Common collocations
  • perform surgery
  • practise surgery
  • advances in surgery
  • specialize in surgery
Synonyms
Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

study surgery

advances in surgery

specialize in surgery

Common Mistakes

The doctor did a surgery on my father' (using countable form for the medical field).
The doctor performed surgery on my father
when referring to the practice or field, 'surgery' is uncountable.

2. a medical procedure in which a doctor cuts into a patient's body to repair, remo

2.nounB1
Definition

a medical procedure in which a doctor cuts into a patient's body to repair, remove, or replace something inside, typically while the patient is under anaesthetic

Example

Renata will need surgery on her knee after tearing a ligament during a football match.

collocation: need surgery on [body part]

The surgeon said Folake's four-hour surgery went well and she should recover fully.

Common collocations
  • emergency surgery
  • elective surgery
  • have surgery
  • undergo surgery
  • need surgery on
  • recover from surgery
Synonyms
  • operation

    the most common countable alternative in British English

  • procedure

    broader term that can include non-surgical medical interventions

  • surgical intervention

    formal term used in clinical or hospital settings

Grammar Patterns

have surgery

need surgery on [body part]

undergo surgery

recover from surgery

Usage Note

In British English, speakers usually say 'an operation' for a single countable procedure, while 'surgery' remains uncountable ('have surgery'). In American English, 'a surgery' is used as a countable noun ('she had a surgery on her knee').

Common Mistakes

I had a surgery last week' (uncommon in British English).
I had surgery last week' or 'I had an operation last week
in BrE, 'surgery' is uncountable for a procedure.

3. a room or small building where people visit their doctor or dentist to receive m

3.nounB1
Definition

a room or small building where people visit their doctor or dentist to receive medical advice or treatment

Example

The doctor's surgery on Mill Road opens at eight and closes at six every weekday.

pattern: [name] surgery + opening hours

Layla called the surgery to book a routine appointment for her young son.

Common collocations
  • doctor's surgery
  • at the surgery
  • the surgery is open
  • call the surgery
  • surgery hours
Synonyms
  • doctor's office

    the American English equivalent

  • clinic

    can be larger or part of a hospital; used in both BrE and AmE

  • practice

    focuses on the business side of the doctor's work

Grammar Patterns

at the surgery

call the surgery

the surgery is open

Usage Note

This sense is primarily British English. In American English, 'doctor's office' or 'clinic' is used instead of 'surgery' for this meaning.

Common Mistakes

I went to the surgery room' (confuses doctor's office with operating room).
I went to the doctor's surgery
include 'doctor's' to clarify you mean the office, not the operating theatre.

4. a set time each week or month during which residents of a constituency can speak

4.nounC1
Definition

a set time each week or month during which residents of a constituency can speak with their locally elected MP about issues they are facing or to request assistance with government-related matters

Example

Jude went to his MP's surgery to ask about delays in his housing benefit payment.

collocation: MP's surgery

The local MP holds a surgery every Friday morning in a room at town hall.

pattern: hold a surgery [time] [place]

Common collocations
  • MP's surgery
  • hold a surgery
  • attend a surgery
  • local surgery
Synonyms

Grammar Patterns

hold a surgery

attend a surgery

MP's surgery

Usage Note

This sense is specific to British and some Commonwealth political systems. The term draws a metaphor from a doctor seeing patients — the MP is seen as 'treating' constituents' problems. The word is always used with a possessive (MP's surgery, her surgery).

Common Mistakes

I need surgery with my MP' (confuses this political sense with the medical meaning).
I need to attend my MP's surgery
the word 'surgery' here means a meeting slot, not a medical procedure.

5. a room inside a hospital that has the special equipment, lighting, and clean con

5.nounB2
Definition

a room inside a hospital that has the special equipment, lighting, and clean conditions needed for doctors to perform operations on patients

Example

Only a nurse remained in the surgery after the patient had been wheeled to recovery.

surgery = the room itself, not the procedure

Only authorized hospital staff are allowed inside the surgery while an operation is taking place.

Common collocations
  • operating theatre
  • operating room
  • surgery room
  • in the surgery
  • take into surgery
Synonyms
  • operating theatre

    standard British English term

  • operating room

    standard American English term; also widely understood internationally

  • OR

    abbreviation used in hospital settings in the US

Grammar Patterns

in the surgery

the surgery room

take into surgery

Usage Note

In British English, 'operating theatre' is more common than 'surgery' for this sense. 'Surgery room' or 'the surgery' (with definite article) is also used by hospital staff. In American English, 'operating room' (OR) is the standard term.

Common Mistakes

The doctor called me into his surgery' (ambiguous — could be sense 3 or sense 5).
The doctor called me into the operating room' or 'the surgery room
in a hospital context, clarify that you mean the room where operations happen, not the outpatient office.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/2

All three words can refer to medical treatment that involves cutting the body, but they differ in scope and regional use. 'Surgery' is the broadest term — it covers both the field of medicine (sense 1) and any single instance of treatment involving cutting (sense 2). 'Operation' is the most common countable term in British English for a single instance ('the surgeon performed an operation'). 'Procedure' is the most general of the three and can include non-surgical medical interventions such as endoscopies or catheter insertions ('the doctor explained the procedure before starting'). In American English, 'surgery' is used countably ('she had a surgery'), whereas British speakers typically use 'operation' in that role. Choose 'surgery' for the general concept, 'operation' for a specific event in BrE, and 'procedure' when you want to be neutral or include non-surgical methods.

surgery ↗operation ↗procedure ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • undergo surgery
  • have surgery
  • need surgery
  • recover from surgery
  • go into surgery

Prepositions

Etymology

GreekLatinFrenchEnglish

The word 'surgery' entered English through Latin 'chirurgia', which came from the Greek 'kheirourgia' — a combination of 'kheir' (hand) and 'ergon' (work). It originally described any medical treatment done by hand, such as setting bones or stitching wounds. Over time the meaning narrowed to medical procedures that involve cutting open the body.