Definition

A medical procedure in which the appendix, a small tube attached to the large intestine, is surgically removed.

Example

After experiencing severe abdominal pain, the doctor recommended an appendectomy to remove the inflamed appendix.

Conversation

Did you hear that Jake had to get an appendectomy last week?

No way! I hope he's doing okay now.

Yeah, he was in a lot of pain before the surgery.

That's scary! I'm glad he got it taken care of.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Appendectomy is formed from "appendix" (from Latin "appendere", meaning to hang upon) and "-ectomy" (from Greek "ektomē", meaning excision or cutting out). The word refers to the surgical removal of the appendix, which is an organ that hangs from the large intestine.

Memory Tip

Think of the appendix as something that 'hangs' ('appendere') from the body, and '-ectomy' means to 'cut out' — so an appendectomy is the procedure to cut out the appendix.

Visually Confused Words