chirurgico

surgical

adjective kee-ROOR-jee-koh Rare

Origin: From Greek kheirourgia, 'hand work'.

Also means

precise, incisive

Usage Note

Chirurgico describes anything relating to surgery, but Italians also use it figuratively for something executed with clinical precision — un intervento chirurgico can be a literal operation or a metaphorically precise action. The plural masculine is chirurgici, feminine chirurgiche.

Examples

"Hanno effettuato un intervento chirurgico delicato."

Natural Translation

They performed a delicate surgical procedure.

Free starter pack

Building your Italian vocabulary?

Get the 100 most common Italian words as a free PDF — one email, no spam.

Related Words

Explore Italian by topic

ItalianNow

Mi Piace vs Mi Piacciono: How to Say 'I Like'

Use mi piace for one thing and mi piacciono for many — because in Italian the thing you like is the subject. The full rule, pronouns, and past tense.

June 5, 2026 5 min read

ItalianNow

Ti Amo vs Ti Voglio Bene: I Love You in Italian

Ti amo is romantic love; ti voglio bene is tender affection for family and close friends. Here's exactly who to say each phrase to in Italian.

June 5, 2026 5 min read

ItalianNow

Italian Adjective Agreement & Placement Made Simple

Italian adjectives agree in gender and number and usually sit after the noun. Master the -o/-a/-i/-e endings, the BAGS rule, and meaning-shifting pairs.

June 5, 2026 5 min read

ItalianNow

Italian Prepositions: A, In, Di, Da, Su Made Simple

Cities take a, countries take in, origin is di, agents are da. Master the five Italian prepositions a, in, di, da, su and their contractions fast.

June 5, 2026 6 min read