chirurgien
/ʃi.ʁyʁ.ʒjɛ̃/masculine
The English word 'surgeon' is chirurgien in French.
chirurgien is a noun used to describe a doctor who performs surgery.
Meaning: doctor who performs surgery (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
The feminine form of the noun is chirurgienne. For a plural group of male surgeons or a mixed-gender group, use chirurgiens. If you are referring to a group consisting only of female surgeons, use chirurgiennes.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 3 syllables and is pronounced /ʃi.ʁyʁ.ʒjɛ̃/.
Did you know?
- While chirurgien is the professional term, a French person might use the slang word boucher meaning 'butcher' as a cruel joke about a surgeon who is clumsy.
- In French history, chirurgiens were once considered lower in status than physicians. They were viewed as skilled craftsmen or barbers rather than university-educated doctors.
- The word chirurgie is used in French to describe not only medical surgery but also the 'surgery' of a text or a piece of music when it is edited with extreme precision.
Examples in context
- Je suis le chirurgien.I'm the surgeon.This sentence is useful for identifying oneself as the surgeon.Tatoeba #5616174 by Aiji, translation #3374152 by CK
- Tom est devenu chirurgien.Tom became a surgeon.This sentence is useful for describing someone's profession.Tatoeba #5106968 by sicerabibax, translation #5105756 by CK
- Je pense être un bon chirurgien.I think I'm a good surgeon.This sentence is useful for expressing an opinion about one's own professional skill.Tatoeba #7771119 by Aiji, translation #5916075 by CK
- un chirurgien cardiaqueA cardiac surgeon
- Mon ami est toubib et travaille comme chirurgien dans un hôpital réputé.My friend is a doctor and works as a surgeon in a prestigious hospital.
- Le chirurgien en blouse blanche m'a assuré que tout se passera bien.The surgeon in a white coat assured me that everything will go well.
- Le chirurgien m'a expliqué le déroulement de l'opération.The surgeon explained the course of the operation to me.
- 25 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Chloé and Gabriel are discussing a medical appointment.
- ChloéQui est ton chirurgien ?Who is your surgeon?
- GabrielC'est le docteur Martin.It is Doctor Martin.
- ChloéEst-il un chirurgien expérimenté ?Is he an experienced surgeon?
- GabrielOui, il est très réputé.Yes, he is very well-known.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “surgeon” translations and entries chirurgien, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
