adj
Common
surgical
SURD-zhih-kuhl
Surgical (adj) means relating to or used in surgery. Example: “The surgeon put on a surgical mask and gloves before the operation.”
adj
1
Relating to or used in surgery.
"The surgeon put on a surgical mask and gloves before the operation."
"She has a small surgical scar on her knee."
"The nurse laid out the surgical instruments."
2
Extremely precise and controlled.
"The editor made surgical cuts to the article without losing its meaning."
"With surgical care, he removed the tiny splinter from her finger."
"The strike was carried out with surgical precision."
How to use surgical
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishRelating to operations on the body, or, more broadly, extremely precise.
Common pairings
surgical precision
surgical instruments
surgical strike
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like surgical.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Word forms
- Comparative
- more surgical
- Superlative
- most surgical
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The surgeon put on a _____ mask and gloves before the operation.
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
medical
nonsurgical
Related words
Rhymes for surgical
See all rhymes for surgical →Frequently asked questions
What does “surgical” mean?
The word “surgical” means relating to or used in surgery. In plain terms, relating to operations on the body, or, more broadly, extremely precise.
How do you pronounce “surgical”?
“Surgical” is pronounced SURD-zhih-kuhl (/ˈsɝd͡ʒɪkəl/ in IPA).
How do you use “surgical” in a sentence?
Here is “surgical” used in a sentence: “The nurse laid out the surgical instruments.”
What part of speech is “surgical”?
“Surgical” is an adjective.
Is “surgical” a common word?
“Surgical” is a fairly common word in modern English.
How many meanings does “surgical” have?
“Surgical” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: relating to or used in surgery.
What is the difference between "surgical" and "medical"?
"Medical" relates broadly to medicine and the treatment of illness, while "surgical" relates specifically to surgery — treating the body by operating on it. Hospitals often use the words as a contrasting pair: medical management means drugs and other non-operative care, while surgical management means an operation.
What is a "surgical strike"?
A "surgical strike" is a military attack intended to be extremely precise and controlled — hitting one specific target while causing as little harm as possible around it. The phrase borrows the surgeon's image of exactness and is also used figuratively for any narrowly targeted action.
