Definition

A surgical procedure in which the thymus gland is removed from the body.

Example

The doctor recommended a thymectomy to treat the patient's condition.

Conversation

Have you heard about the procedure called thymectomy?

Yeah, I think it's the removal of the thymus gland, right?

Exactly! I read that it can help with certain autoimmune diseases.

That’s interesting! I wonder how the recovery process is after a thymectomy.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Thymectomy is formed from "thymus" (from Greek "thumos", meaning mind or spirit) and "-ectomy" (from Greek "ektome", meaning excision or removal). The word refers to the surgical removal of the thymus gland.

Memory Tip

Think of the 'thymus' as the gland related to the spirit or mind, and '-ectomy' means removal. So, thymectomy is the removal of the thymus gland.

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