noun

operation

A medical procedure involving surgical treatment of the body.

The surgeon performs an operation to repair the damaged joint.

Etymology

The general word for working specialized to the surgeon’s work on the body. An operation is a particular procedure carried out as surgical treatment.

More examples

  • Her operation lasted two hours.
  • He needed another operation after the injury.
  • The hospital scheduled three operations for the morning.

Forms

operation · operations

operative adjective — Relating to surgical treatment.

Similar words

surgery
The treatment or field generally, rather than one procedure.
procedure
Broader; many medical procedures do not involve surgery.