amputee

noun

am·​pu·​tee ˌam-pyə-ˈtē How to pronounce amputee (audio)
: one that has had a limb amputated

Examples of amputee in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Graise is a double amputee who lost his legs at a young age and has become an advocate for realistic and thoughtful depictions of disabled persons in the arts. — Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 23 Aug. 2026 Israeli teen settler arrested in beating of amputee Elsewhere in the Middle East, police arrested a 16-year-old boy from the Israeli settlement of Avigayil in the beating of a 61-year-old Palestinian man. — Los Angeles Times, 23 Aug. 2026 Rodney Taylor, a double amputee and Atlanta father of seven, was detained in Stewart Detention Center for 15 months in connection with a decades-old burglary charge that was later pardoned, advocates said. — Dan Raby, CBS News, 19 Aug. 2026 South African track star Oscar Pistorius, a Paralympic gold medalist, became the first amputee runner to compete at the Olympics after successfully challenging a decision that said his prosthesis gave him an unfair advantage. — USA Today, 21 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for amputee

Word History

Etymology

amput(ate) + -ee entry 1

First Known Use

1910, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of amputee was in 1910

Rhymes for amputee

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Browse Nearby Words

amputator
amputee
Ampyx
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Amputee.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/amputee. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

amputee

noun
am·​pu·​tee ˌam-pyə-ˈtē How to pronounce amputee (audio)
: one that has had an arm or leg amputated

Medical Definition

amputee

noun
am·​pu·​tee ˌam-pyə-ˈtē How to pronounce amputee (audio)
: one that has had a limb amputated

More from Merriam-Webster on amputee

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about amputee

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