Definition of surgery

The word "surgery" has its roots in the Middle English word "chirurgie," which originated from the Latin "cirurgia," meaning "a skillful hand at work." The Latin term combined "chirō," meaning "hand," and "urgō," meaning "I work" or "I serve." In early medieval times, a "chirurgus" referred to a practicing medic who utilized the power of the hand to cure a wide range of ailments, from broken bones to infected wounds. These physicians were often monks or priests, and their medical skills went hand in hand with their religious duties. As medicine evolved and advances were made in surgical techniques, the use of "surgery" to describe medical procedures took hold in the English language. By the mid-1500s, the term was commonly used to denote medical treatments that involved the use of instruments, incisions, and sutures. In summary, the word "surgery" came into common usage during the Middle Ages as a term for the medical practice of humane hand surgery, and over time, has evolved to denote the full scope of medical procedures that fall within the domain of modern-day surgeons.