Liposuction

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈlai.poʊˌsʌk.ʃn̩/

Definitions

1. A medical operation designed to extract excess fat from targeted body parts using suction techniques is commonly used for body contouring purposes
2. This technique involves the surgical removal of fat cells from specific regions of the body through a vacuum mechanism to enhance physical appearance
3. A cosmetic surgical procedure is utilized for the removal of unwanted fat deposits from specific areas of the body via suction, aiming to improve body shape and contouring outcomes

Etymology: The word is a plain compound built from two parts. "Lipo-" comes from Ancient Greek "lípos," meaning fat or grease, and it is the same root that gives English words such as "lipid." "Suction" is an older English word for the act of drawing something in by reduced pressure, so the whole term literally means "fat drawing-in." The first half traces back through Greek to a root that English has borrowed many times in scientific vocabulary, which is why the prefix appears in terms like "lipoma" and "lipase" as well. Those coinages were built by later scientists from the classical stem, so the Greeks themselves would not have recognised "liposuction" as a procedure.

Synonyms: fat removal, body contouring