English
surgeon
Surgeon comes from Anglo-Norman surgien, from Latin chīrūrgia ‘surgery’, and ultimately from Ancient Greek χειρουργός.
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEχειρουργόςkheirourgós
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEchīrurgus
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEchīrūrgia‘surgery’
- Vulgar Latinc. 100–700 CE*chīrurgiānusreconstructed
- Anglo-Normanc. 1066–1400surgien
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form‘a surgeon’
- Englishtodaysurgeon
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEχειρουργόςkheirourgós
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEchīrurgus
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEchīrūrgia‘surgery’
- Vulgar Latinc. 100–700 CE*chīrurgiānusreconstructed
- Anglo-Normanc. 1066–1400surgien
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500same form‘a surgeon’
- Englishtodaysurgeon
A compound of χείρ ‘hand’ + ἔργον ‘work’
Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰésōr ‘hand’
Proto-Hellenic *kʰéhər
Ancient Greek χείρ ‘hand’
Proto-Indo-European *werǵ- ‘to make’
Proto-Indo-European *wérǵom ‘work’
Proto-Hellenic *wérgon ‘work’
Ancient Greek ἔργον ‘work’
Linked words
through Ancient Greek χειρουργός
through Latin chīrūrgia ‘surgery’
Today it means
noun One who performs surgery; a doctor who performs operations on people or animals.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Ancient Greek χειρουργός / surgeon