major surgery
12
4.0
- noun
- /ˈmeɪdʒər ˈsɜrdʒəri/
- Specialized
:
cirugía mayor
- Mrs. Grady, your husband underwent major surgery.
If you were faced with major surgery, would you insist that surgeon has a little snort just before he opens you up?
- If you were faced with major surgery, would you insist that surgeon has a little snort just before he opens you up?
- She was diagnosed here with breast cancer, had a major surgery to resolve it.
Examples
-
In September 1988, the 75-year-old president had major surgery and was forced to cancel a scheduled trip to Taiwan.
Academic text (1990) -
Anna had major surgery recovery to deal with and blood clots on top of that.
Blog text (17) -
But it's definitely major surgery for her, and right now.
-
My wife is sick enough that she has major surgery scheduled the day before Thanksgiving.
Blog text (17) -
As I pointed out elsewhere, I had major surgery twice for a badly broken leg earlier this year.
Blog text (22) -
I was prescribed pain pills after major surgery for a broken leg.
Blog text (22) -
Speaking of you and cadavers, Doctor, you have a major surgery in five hours.
-
She was diagnosed here with breast cancer, had a major surgery to resolve it.
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I have a history of severe Crohn's disease and 10 major surgeries, including bowel resections.
Blog text (7) -
Eight months ago, she underwent major surgery to remove cancer from her abdomen.
Synonyms
273
3.7
A surgery where a doctor cuts the body to fix a problem
2
3.0
A medical treatment where a doctor makes a cut to fix, remove, or replace a part of the body
Antonyms
- Specialized
4
3.6
A simple operation that does not need a general anaesthetic and lets you go home the same day
How Serious
- Specialized
12
4.0
- Specialized
4
3.6
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a surgical procedure that is significant or serious' is directly and compositionally derived from 'major' (substantial/serious) modifying 'surgery' (a medical operation). This adjective+noun combination follows a transparent, cross-linguistically common pattern, so a B1 learner who knows both words will readily understand the MWE.
Etymology
Major surgery comes from the simple idea that major means bigger or more important than minor. Doctors used major for operations that are big and risky and need general 'anesthesia' or special care, so major surgery now means a serious operation.