English

surgeon

gb/sˈɚd͡ʒən/ us/sˈɚd͡ʒən/
B1 English
~ 9700
Senses
0 senses
Noun B1 entity
1

medical doctor who performs surgery

A doctor who cuts the body to fix a health problem, usually in a hospital.

Usage pattern: a surgeon operates on [someone/something]
Common mistake:
Learners often confuse 'surgeon' (the person) with 'surgery' (the operation). For example, they may say *'He is a surgery'* instead of *'He is a surgeon'*, or *'The surgeon took three hours'* when they mean *'The surgery took three hours'*. Another mistake is calling any doctor a 'surgeon', even when the doctor does not perform operations.
Synonyms
surgical specialist (More descriptive phrase; highlights special training in surgery, slightly more technical than simply saying 'surgeon'.) | doctor (More general; includes all medical doctors, not only those who perform operations.)
Antonyms
patient (Opposite role in the medical situation: the patient receives treatment, while the surgeon gives it.)
Collocations
heart surgeon |brain surgeon |plastic surgeon |orthopedic surgeon |consultant surgeon |surgeon general
Themes
medicine |healthcare |jobs |health |work |core_vocabulary
Examples
  • The surgeon explained the risks of the operation before asking her to sign the consent form.
  • After a long night in the operating room, the surgeon came out to speak with the family.
  • He trained for many years to become a heart surgeon at a major teaching hospital.
  • The plastic surgeon specialized in rebuilding faces after serious accidents.
  • In the army, the field surgeon had to operate under very difficult conditions.
Learner examples
  • The surgeon will operate on her knee tomorrow.
  • My uncle is a brain surgeon at a big hospital.
  • The surgeon talked to the family after the operation.
  • She wants to study medicine and become a surgeon.
  • The surgeon used special tools during the long operation.
Grammar
Dictionary form
surgeon
IPA
GB/sˈɚd͡ʒən/
US/sˈɚd͡ʒən/
Syllables & stress
sur - geon (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (sur)
Word forms
Noun
  • Base: surgeon
  • Plural: surgeons
Word family
Forms
surgeons noun
Core family
surgery noun B1 surgical adjective B2
Related words
operate verb A2 operation noun B1 surgically adverb
Expressions

brain surgeon

3
/bɹˈeɪn sˈɚd͡ʒən/
fixed phrase

surgeon specializing in the brain

A doctor who does operations on the brain and nervous system.

Examples
  • She works as a brain surgeon at a leading research hospital.
  • Becoming a brain surgeon requires many years of training and practice.

consultant surgeon

6
/kənsˈʌltənt sˈɚd͡ʒən/
fixed phrase formal

senior hospital surgeon

A very senior hospital surgeon who leads a team and has main responsibility for patients.

Examples
  • He was promoted to consultant surgeon after ten years as a registrar.
  • The consultant surgeon reviewed the case before deciding on an operation.

heart surgeon

2
/hˈɑɹt sˈɚd͡ʒən/
fixed phrase

surgeon specializing in the heart

A doctor who does operations on the heart and sometimes on nearby blood vessels.

Examples
  • The heart surgeon performed a bypass operation on the patient.
  • My cousin is training to become a heart surgeon.

it doesn't take a brain surgeon

5
/ˈɪt dˈʌzənt tˈeɪk ə bɹˈeɪn sˈɚd͡ʒən/
idiom informal

used to say something is obvious

Used to say that something is very easy to see or understand, so you do not need to be very smart to know it.

Examples
  • It doesn't take a brain surgeon to see that the plan is too expensive.
  • It doesn't take a brain surgeon to figure out why sales are falling.

plastic surgeon

1
/plˈæstɪk sˈɚd͡ʒən/
fixed phrase

surgeon for cosmetic/reconstructive work

A doctor who does operations to change or repair a person’s body or face, often for cosmetic or rebuilding reasons.

Examples
  • The plastic surgeon rebuilt his nose after the accident.
  • She consulted a plastic surgeon about removing the scar on her cheek.

surgeon general

4
/sˈɚd͡ʒən d͡ʒˈɛnɚəl/
fixed phrase formal

chief public health officer

The highest medical officer in a government or military who gives official advice on public health.

Examples
  • The surgeon general issued a warning about the health risks of vaping.
  • Reports from the surgeon general strongly influenced new health policies.

veterinary surgeon

1
/vˈɛtɚənˌɛɹi sˈɚd͡ʒən/
fixed phrase

animal doctor who does surgery

A vet who is trained to do operations on animals.

Examples
  • The dog was taken to a veterinary surgeon after it was hit by a car.
  • She works as a veterinary surgeon in a small animal clinic.

veterinary surgeon

2
/vˈɛtɚənˌɛɹi sˈɚd͡ʒən/
fixed phrase technical

qualified animal doctor (esp. UK)

(Especially British English) A fully trained animal doctor, usually able to do operations on animals.

Examples
  • The veterinary surgeon recommended immediate surgery on the horse’s leg.
  • She is a senior veterinary surgeon at the university teaching hospital.

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