Coccygotomy

/ˌkɒsɪˈɡɒtəmi/ noun

Definition

A surgical incision or cut made in or through the coccyx region.

Etymology

From Greek 'kokkyx' (coccyx) plus 'tome' meaning cut or section, combined with '-y' indicating a procedure. This surgical term was created alongside other '-tomy' procedures.

Kelly Says

'-tomy' means making a cut (like 'anatomy' is literally 'cutting open to see inside'), so 'coccygotomy' is a surgical cut involving the tailbone—but it's rarely used today since coccygectomy (removal) is usually preferred!

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.