appendectomy
noun
ap·pen·dec·to·my
ˌa-pən-ˈdek-tə-mē 
ˌa-ˌpen-
plural appendectomies
: surgical removal of the vermiform appendix
Did you know?
The appendix is a tiny tube attached to the large intestine that no longer has any real function. Appendicitis—inflammation and swelling of the appendix, usually as a result of bacterial infection—generally occurs between the ages of 10 and 19, and is the most common reason for emergency surgery in the U.S. today. Since the appendix has so little to do, appendectomies normally have no negative aftereffects at all. If appendicitis is ignored, bacteria may enter the blood and infect other parts of the body.
Examples of appendectomy in a Sentence
The surgeon performed an appendectomy on her.
Recent Examples on the Web
Embiid missed seven consecutive games after undergoing an emergency appendectomy on April 9.
—
Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 26 Apr. 2026
Payton Pritchard hit six of Boston's 24 3-pointers and scored 32 points and Jayson Tatum had 30 points and 11 assists to help the Boston Celtics spoil Joel Embiid's return from an appendectomy and beat the Philadelphia 76ers 128-96 on Sunday night for a 3-1 lead in their first-round playoff series.
—CBS News, 26 Apr. 2026
Embiid, a 7-foot-0, 280-pound, 32-year-old native of Cameroon who won league MVP honors in 2023, participated in some of the Sixers’ drills just 15 days removed from emergency appendectomy surgery.
—Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 24 Apr. 2026
The 76ers were playing without their third veteran star, center Joel Embiid, who has been out since undergoing an emergency appendectomy earlier this month.
—Zack Cox, Hartford Courant, 20 Apr. 2026
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Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 26 Apr. 2026
Payton Pritchard hit six of Boston's 24 3-pointers and scored 32 points and Jayson Tatum had 30 points and 11 assists to help the Boston Celtics spoil Joel Embiid's return from an appendectomy and beat the Philadelphia 76ers 128-96 on Sunday night for a 3-1 lead in their first-round playoff series.
—CBS News, 26 Apr. 2026
Embiid, a 7-foot-0, 280-pound, 32-year-old native of Cameroon who won league MVP honors in 2023, participated in some of the Sixers’ drills just 15 days removed from emergency appendectomy surgery.
—Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 24 Apr. 2026
The 76ers were playing without their third veteran star, center Joel Embiid, who has been out since undergoing an emergency appendectomy earlier this month.
—Zack Cox, Hartford Courant, 20 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for appendectomy
Cite this Entry
“Appendectomy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/appendectomy. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
appendectomy
noun
ap·pen·dec·to·my
ˌap-ən-ˈdek-tə-mē
ˌap-ˌen-
plural appendectomies
: surgical removal of the human appendix
Medical Definition
appendectomy
noun
ap·pen·dec·to·my
ˌap-ən-ˈdek-tə-mē
plural appendectomies
: surgical removal of the vermiform appendix
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