gynecology

noun

gy·​ne·​col·​o·​gy ˌgī-nə-ˈkä-lə-jē  ˌji- 

: a branch of medicine that deals with the diseases and routine physical care of the reproductive system of women

gynecologic

ˌgī-ni-kə-ˈlä-jik  ˌji- 

adjective

or gynecological

ˌgī-ni-kə-ˈlä-ji-kəl  ˌji- 

Examples of gynecology in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

After all, gynecology doesn’t exactly have the best reputation for pain management. —Erica Sloan, SELF, 4 Oct. 2024

Increase obstetrics education for emergency doctors, and add obstetrics and gynecology residencies for new doctors. —Alex Golden, Axios, 12 Sep. 2024

Rubin highlights that societies in obstetrics, gynecology and urology, among others, universally agree the label is wrong. —Sandra Rose Salathe, Flow Space, 3 Oct. 2024

Mary Jane Minkin, MD, a clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Yale University Medical School, recommends cotton underwear (or sweat-wicking undies with a cotton gusset). —Kristine Thomason, Glamour, 3 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

probably borrowed from German Gynäkologie, borrowed from New Latin gynaecologia, from gynaeco- gyneco- + -logia -logy

Note: The Latin term appears in the titles of the German physician Martin Schurig's Gynaecologia historico-medica (Dresden, 1730) and in the German humanist and physician Johann Peter Lotichius's Gynaicologia, id est, de nobilitate et perfectione sexus feminei (Rinteln, 1630). Neither work, however, dealt with gynecology as a branch of medicine. Schurig's book dealt with female sexual behavior from a medical and legal standpoint, and Lotichius discussed the nature of women and challenged the ancients' belief in female inferiority.

First Known Use

1828, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

gynecology

noun

gy·​ne·​col·​o·​gy ˌgīn-i-ˈkäl-ə-jē  ˌjin- 

: a branch of medicine that is concerned with the diseases and routine medical care of the reproductive system of women

Medical Definition

gynecology

noun

gy·​ne·​col·​o·​gy

variants or chiefly British gynaecology

ˌgīn-ə-ˈkäl-ə-jē  ˌjin- 

plural gynecologies

: a branch of medicine that deals with the diseases and routine physical care of the reproductive system of women

gynecologic

ˌgīn-i-kə-ˈläj-ik  ˌjin- 

adjective

or gynecological

-i-kəl 

or chiefly British gynaecologic or gynaecological