Cesarean

Part of speech: adjective, noun

Definitions

1. A surgical method for delivering a baby through incisions in the abdominal and uterine walls is often utilized in cases where standard vaginal delivery poses risks to the mother or child
2. This operation consists of delivering an infant via surgical openings in the abdomen and uterus, commonly executed when complications arise during labor
3. A surgical procedure involves delivering a baby through incisions made in the mother's abdomen and uterus, typically used when vaginal birth presents risks to the mother or child

Etymology: The word is built from "Caesar" and the suffix "-ean," but the familiar story behind it is a myth. The popular belief is that Julius Caesar was born by this procedure, and that his name gave the operation its name. That account is not supported by the historical record. His mother, Aurelia, is recorded as living well past the time of his birth, so he could not have been delivered through an incision in her abdomen, and the surgical sense of the word is much later than his lifetime. The surgical term was formed in English from the Latin name Caesar, and the Latin verb "caedere," meaning "to cut," is often cited as a connection, though the link between the name and that verb is itself uncertain. Whatever the origin of the name, the procedure's name in English is a later coinage built on it. The word is an adjective and a noun, so the surgical use can be applied to the operation itself or to the birth it produces.

Synonyms: C-section