resection: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowFormal, Technical, Medical
Quick answer
What does “resection” mean?
The surgical removal of part of an organ, tissue, or structure.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The surgical removal of part of an organ, tissue, or structure.
More generally, the action of cutting away or removing a section of something; can be used in non-medical contexts like cartography (adjusting a map by projection) or surveying.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant semantic difference. Usage is identical and confined primarily to medical/technical registers.
Connotations
Neutral and clinical in both varieties.
Frequency
Equally low in general language, but standard and frequent within medical communities in both regions.
Grammar
How to Use “resection” in a Sentence
The surgeon performed a [TYPE] resection of the [ORGAN/TISSUE].The patient is scheduled for a [MODIFIER] resection.The [ORGAN/TISSUE] was treated by resection.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “resection” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The surgical team will resect the affected segment of bowel.
- The tumour was successfully resected.
American English
- The surgeon plans to resect the lesion laparoscopically.
- They had to resect a portion of his lung.
adverb
British English
- The tumour was resected completely (not a dedicated adverb form).
American English
- The polyp was removed resectionally via colonoscopy.
adjective
British English
- The resectional margins were clear of cancer.
- He underwent a resectional procedure.
American English
- The resectional surgery was completed in three hours.
- A resectional approach was deemed necessary.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Used in medical, anatomical, and some engineering (e.g., land surveying, signal processing) publications.
Everyday
Extremely rare outside of discussions of personal medical procedures.
Technical
The primary domain. Standard term in surgery, oncology, gastroenterology, urology (TURP), and cartography.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “resection”
Strong
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “resection”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “resection”
- Using 'resection' to mean a simple 'cut' or 'incision' (it's specifically about *removing* a part).
- Misspelling as 'resurection' (a very different word).
- Using it as a verb in non-technical contexts ('They resected the budget' is unnatural).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Not exactly. 'Resection' is a specific type of removal—the surgical cutting out of a section of an organ or tissue. 'Removal' is a much broader term.
Yes, but rarely. It has technical uses in fields like surveying (adjusting angles in a triangulation series) and cartography, but these are highly specialised.
The verb is 'to resect'. It is a transitive verb (e.g., 'The surgeon resected the tumour').
They are often synonyms in medicine. However, 'excision' can refer to removing any tissue by cutting, while 'resection' often implies removing a specific, defined section, especially of a hollow organ or a part of a larger structure.
The surgical removal of part of an organ, tissue, or structure.
Resection is usually formal, technical, medical in register.
Resection: in British English it is pronounced /rɪˈsɛkʃ(ə)n/, and in American English it is pronounced /rəˈsɛkʃ(ə)n/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'REmoval of a SECTION' = resection.
Conceptual Metaphor
PRECISION IS A SURGICAL CUT (as resection implies careful, calculated removal).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the word 'resection' LEAST likely to be used?