WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
am•pu•tate /ˈæmpyʊˌteɪt/USA pronunciation
v. [~ + object], -tat•ed, -tat•ing.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- Surgeryto cut off surgically (all or part of a limb or digit of the body):forced to amputate her leg.
am•pu•tate
(am′pyŏŏ tāt′),USA pronunciation v.t., -tat•ed, -tat•ing.
am′pu•ta′tion, n.
am′pu•ta′tive, adj.
am′pu•ta′tor, n.
- Surgeryto cut off (all or part of a limb or digit of the body), as by surgery.
- to prune, lop off, or remove:Because of space limitations the editor amputated the last two paragraphs of the news report.
- Botany[Obs.]to prune, as branches of trees.
- Latin amputātus pruned, trimmed (past participle of amputāre), equivalent. to am(bi) around (compare ambi-) + put- trim + -ātus -ate1
- 1630–40
am′pu•ta′tive, adj.
am′pu•ta′tor, n.