Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “surgical” come from?

Surgical derives from Middle English cirurgical, from Middle French cirurgical, from Medieval Latin cirurgicalis, from Ancient Greek χειρουργία meaning hand-work, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European werǵ- meaning to work.

surgical (English): Of, relating to, used in, or resulting from...

Definitions

  1. Of, relating to, used in, or resulting from...

Ancestry of “surgical”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishcirurgicalsurgical
2Middle Frenchcirurgical—
3Medieval Latincirurgicalis—
4Ancient Greekχειρουργίαworking by hand, practice of a handicraft or art;...
5Ancient Greekχειρουργέωto work with my hands; to do violence with my...
6Ancient Greekχειρουργόςcraftsman; surgeon
7Ancient Greek-ουργόςworker, maker; work; worker, maker, craftsman
8Ancient Greekἔργονdeed, doing, action; labour, work, task;...
9Proto-Hellenicwérgonwork
10Proto-Indo-Europeanwérǵomwork
11Proto-Indo-Europeanwerǵ-to make

Words derived from “surgical”

  • surgically
  • neurosurgical
  • nonsurgical
  • postsurgical
  • microsurgical
  • presurgical
  • electrosurgical
  • nonsurgically
  • cryosurgical
  • telesurgical
  • postsurgically
  • microsurgically
  • psychosurgical
  • neurosurgically
  • presurgically
  • viscosurgical
  • perisurgical
  • cardiosurgical
  • polysurgical
  • electrosurgically
  • cryosurgically
  • immunosurgical
  • antisurgical
  • piezosurgical
Every word from Proto-Indo-European werǵ- →