— amputation , n. — amputative , adj. — amputator , n.
/am"pyoo tayt'/ , v.t., amputated, amputating .
1. to cut off (all or part of a limb or digit of the body), as by surgery.
2. to prune, lop off, or remove: Because of space limitations the editor amputated the last two paragraphs of the news report.
3. Obs. to prune, as branches of trees.
[ 1630-40; amputatus pruned, trimmed (ptp. of amputare ), equiv. to am ( bi ) around (cf. AMBI-) + put- trim + -atus -ATE 1 ]