Mastopexy

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A surgical procedure that raises and firms sagging breasts by removing excess skin and reshaping the underlying tissue
2. An operation performed to lift drooping breasts, tightening the skin and repositioning the breast tissue higher on the chest
3. Cosmetic surgery that restores a higher, firmer breast contour by trimming surplus skin and reshaping the gland

Etymology: Mastopexy is a surgical term, and its parts are plain. "Masto-" comes from Greek "mastos", meaning breast, the same stem behind "mastectomy" and "mastitis." The second element, "-pexy," comes from Greek "pēxis", meaning a fixing or fastening, from "pēgnunai", to fasten or make firm. Put together, the word names the fixing or lifting of the breast, the procedure's whole purpose being to fasten tissue back into a firmer position. The construction is a modern scientific coinage built from classical parts, so it was not used by ancient Greek physicians in this form. Its value lies in the transparent components: a reader who knows "mastectomy" and "orthopexy" can decode it at once. The "-pexy" suffix appears in other surgical terms for fixing an organ or structure in place, which is why the term reads as a family member of that group.

Synonyms: breast lift