surgeon

Everyday

1. A surgeon is a doctor who does operations, cutting into the body to repair or remove parts. tree →
2. A tree surgeon is a person who cuts and looks after trees. tree →

In the lessons

In everyday life a surgeon operates in a hospital theatre to fix a broken bone or take out an appendix. In science and health lessons, pupils learn that surgeons wash hands carefully and use clean tools to stop germs. In the UK, surgeons are called «Mr» or «Ms», not «Dr». Phrases: heart surgeon, brain surgeon, tree surgeon, dental surgeon.

Examples

• The surgeon fixed my broken arm. tree →
• A heart surgeon operates on people's hearts. tree →
• Surgeons scrub their hands before every operation. tree →
• The tree surgeon cut the dead branches. tree →
• My aunt is training to be a surgeon. tree →
• The surgeon did 3 operations a day for 5 days, 15 in all. tree →
• «It's not brain surgery» means it's not very hard. tree →
• It was too late; a surgeon had been sent for to open a vein in her arm, but the poor woman was dead. tree →

Note

Countable noun. Spelling trap: «surgeon» (with -eon). The work is «surgery»; in the UK «surgery» also means the doctor's local practice. A tree surgeon is not a medical doctor.