adj · noun · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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General-American:/poʊstˈɑpəɹətɪv/
Received-Pronunciation:/pəʊstˈɒpəɹətɪv/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:P OW2 S T AO1 P AH0 R AH0 T IH0 V
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adj
Meaning 1
Of, relating to, or occurring in the period after a surgical operation.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: not-comparable
Examples
The postoperative procedure is as follows.
1957, J. D. Salinger, "Zooey", in, 1961, Franny and Zooey, 1991 LB Books edition, page 139, She was looking even paler, more post-operative, as it were, than she had on waking.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
A transgender person who has undergone gender reassignment surgery.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
adjective satellite
Meaning 3
happening or done after a surgical operation
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
postoperative complications
postoperative care
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *pós Proto-Indo-European *-ti Proto-Indo-European *pósti Proto-Italic *posti Old Latin poste Latin post English post- English operative English postoperative From post- + operative.
Across languages
Translations
15 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Catalan:
postoperatori
— of, pertaining to, or occurring in the period after a surgical operation
Finnish:
leikkauksen jälkeinen
— of, pertaining to, or occurring in the period after a surgical operation
Finnish:
leikkauksenjälkeinen
— of, pertaining to, or occurring in the period after a surgical operation
Finnish:
postoperatiivinen
— of, pertaining to, or occurring in the period after a surgical operation
French:
postopératoire
— of, pertaining to, or occurring in the period after a surgical operation
French:
post-opératoire
— of, pertaining to, or occurring in the period after a surgical operation
German:
postoperativ
— of, pertaining to, or occurring in the period after a surgical operation
Greek:
μετεγχειρητικός
(metencheiritikós)
— of, pertaining to, or occurring in the period after a surgical operation
Hungarian:
posztoperatív
— of, pertaining to, or occurring in the period after a surgical operation
Hungarian:
műtét utáni
— of, pertaining to, or occurring in the period after a surgical operation
Italian:
postoperatorio
— of, pertaining to, or occurring in the period after a surgical operation
Polish:
pooperacyjny
— of, pertaining to, or occurring in the period after a surgical operation
Portuguese:
pós-operatório
— of, pertaining to, or occurring in the period after a surgical operation
Romanian:
postoperatoriu
— of, pertaining to, or occurring in the period after a surgical operation
Spanish:
posoperatorio
— of, pertaining to, or occurring in the period after a surgical operation
