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Glite Dictionary
total hysterectomy

total hysterectomy

1 5.0
An operation that removes the womb and its neck completely
  • noun
  • /ˈtoʊtəl hɪsˈtɛrɪkəmi/
  • Specialized
translation icon : histerectomía total
  • After years of discomfort, she finally decided to undergo a total hysterectomy to alleviate her symptoms.

Examples

  • A total hysterectomy was performed (ovaries, uterus, cervix), and she needed no further treatment.

    Blog text (19)

  • Trans men may have any of the following: mastectomy and chest reconstruction, total hysterectomy, genital surgery to enhance the effects of testosterone, and creation of a penis (phalloplasty).

    Academic text (2011)

  • Following her diagnosis, the doctor recommended a total hysterectomy to ensure her long-term health.

  • Many women choose a total hysterectomy when other treatments for their condition have failed.

Synonyms

hysterectomy
vstotal hysterectomy
  • Specialized
25 7.0

An operation that removes all or part of a woman's womb

removes both the uterus and cervix completely rather than partially

How Complete

radical hysterectomy
  • Specialized
1 7.2
total hysterectomy
  • Specialized
1 5.0

Surface Forms

total hysterectomy singular
total hysterectomies plural

Morphology

total + hysterectomy

The meaning is directly compositional: 'hysterectomy' denotes removal of the uterus and 'total' means complete, so together they indicate a complete removal (including the cervix). This modifier-noun pattern is conventional in medical terminology and cross-linguistically transparent, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents can infer the MWE's meaning.

Etymology

Total hysterectomy literally names the operation: hysterectomy means removing the uterus, and total means 'all'. So a total hysterectomy is the surgery that removes the uterus and the cervix, which is why it means removing both parts.