Preoperatively

Part of speech: adverb

Definitions

1. Describing actions or procedures carried out before a surgical operation to prepare the patient or plan the surgery
2. Referring to the period or measures taken prior to surgery to assess risk, provide instructions, or stabilize the patient
3. Pertaining to any evaluations, treatments, or considerations done in advance of an operative medical intervention to ensure safety and effectiveness

Etymology: "Preoperatively" is a plain English formation with no famous coiner or dramatic shift in meaning. It is built from "preoperative," which combines the Latin prefix "prae-" (meaning "before") with "operative," the adjective derived from "operate" and the Latin "operari," to work. The adverb is then formed by adding the suffix "-ly," which descends from Old English "-līċe," a word-forming element meaning "in the manner of." So the whole word means, roughly, "in a manner before the operation." The prefix "pre-" reached English through Middle English, while "operative" is an English formation from the same Latin base. The adverbial ending traces back much further, to a Proto-Germanic root meaning "body" or "form," which explains why "-ly" is attached to so many English adjectives to make adverbs.

Synonyms: before surgery, prior to operation, pre-surgically

Antonyms: postoperatively, after surgery, post-surgically