Surgeon Means Handworker
A surgeon operates on patients. The Greek root means working with the hand, and British surgeons are still called Mr rather than Dr.
A surgeon treats patients by operating. The Greek *cheirourgos* means hand-worker, from *cheir*, hand, and *ergon*, work — surgery was the branch of medicine done with the hands. In Britain a curious custom survives: surgeons revert from Dr to Mr, Miss or Mrs after passing their higher exams, a nod to the days when surgeons trained as barbers rather than physicians.
- A doctor who operates. *A consultant surgeon.*
- Surgical — relating to surgery. *Surgical gloves.*
- Surgeon general — a senior public health officer (American). *The surgeon general's warning.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | surgeon | A heart surgeon. |
| Plural | surgeons | Two surgeons. |
| Noun | surgery | Elective surgery. |
| Adjective | surgical | Surgical precision. |
| Adverb | surgically | Surgically removed. |
How it is used in a sentence
- The surgeon explained the risks.Consent.
- In Britain surgeons are addressed as Mr or Ms.A historical survival.
- The strike was described as surgical.Meaning precise, a contested metaphor.
Surgical specialties
- General surgery — abdominal and soft tissue
- Orthopaedics — bones and joints
- Neurosurgery — brain and spine
- Cardiothoracic — heart and chest
- Plastic surgery — reconstruction and reshaping, not plastic
From Old French *serurgien*, from Latin *chirurgia*, from Greek *cheirourgia*, handiwork. English wore the word down considerably on the way.
Why are British surgeons called Mr?
A survival from when surgeons trained through apprenticeship rather than a medical degree. Reverting to Mr became a mark of surgical qualification.
Are barbers really connected to surgery?
Yes. Barber-surgeons performed bloodletting and minor operations for centuries, and the red and white pole recalls the practice.