quirúrgico

/kiˈɾuɾxiko/ · B2 · adj

surgical

🩺🔪 quirúrgico = Greek kheir (hand) + ergon (work): hand-work, surgery

Spanish quirúrgico comes from Greek kheirourgía: kheir 'hand' + ergon 'work'. Surgery was literally work done by hand. Same roots give English chiro-practor (hand) and surgeon, which is a worn-down form of the same Greek word.

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