arch. Forms: α. 3 cirurgian, 4 sir-, 5 cerurgien, 6 ci-, cyrurgyen, syrurgyan. β. 6 (chirurgean(e, chierurgion), 6–7 chi-, chyrurgian, chy-, 6–8 chirurgion, (7 shirurgion), 6–8 chy-, 7–9 chirurgeon. [In ME., a. OF. cirurgien (= Sp. cirurgiano, Pg. cirurgião):—Romanic type *cirurgi-an-o f. cirurgía: see CHIRURGY. In later OF. serurgien, contracted surgien, whence Eng. sirurgien, surgien, now corruptly surgeon. The Renascence brought back to Fr. and Eng. (partly also to It.) the spelling chir-, but never to French the pronunciation with k, which has now established itself in Eng., largely because the word being no longer in popular use, the traditional pronunciation has yielded to a new one, founded immediately upon the Gr. The original ending which would normally give mod. chirurgian, was variously perverted in 16th c., and finally settled down in its present form: cf. SURGEON.]
One whose profession it is to cure bodily diseases and injuries by manual operation; a SURGEON.
α. 1297. R. Glouc. 566. Maister Philip Porpeis, þat was a quointe man, & hor cirurgian.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Melibeus, ¶ 45 (Harl. MS.). A sirurgien … up ros, and to Melibeus sayde [etc.] [Of 6-text, 2 MSS. have sirurgien; 2 surgien; 1 surgeen; 1 surgeane.]
14[?]. John Arderne, in Rel. Ant., I. 191. To aske counsell at all the lechez and corurgienz that he myghte fynd.
1530. Palsgr., 455. I bynde with a clothe as a cirurgyen dothe his pacyentes sore.
1541. R. Copland (title), Guydon’s Questyonary of Cyrurgyens, etc.
1549. Compl. Scot., xv. 129. Gif ane cirurgyen vald drau part of there blude.
β. 1535. Stewart, Cron. Scot., III. 64. Wes no chirurgeane of his craft so slie.
1547. Boorde, Brev. Health, Pref. 3 b. Chierurgions ought to be wyse, gentyll, sober.
1610. Guillim, Heraldry, VI. i. (1660), 379. Bearing of the Worshipfull Company of Barber Chirurgions.
1613. Purchas, Pilgr., I. VII. vi. 570. The Arts of the Apothecarie and Chirurgian.
1661. P. Henry, Diary, 24 Aug. Sister Mary went to Chester to a Shirurgion.
1667. E. Chamberlayne, St. Gt. Brit., I. (1684), 79. The Physicians to … use the assistance only of such Chyrurgeons as are prescribed in the Warrant.
1695. New Light Chirurg. Put out, Introd. 10. Mr. Harris, Chirurgion to the Regiment.
1708. Royal Proclm., 20 May, in Lond. Gaz., No. 4440/1. Midshipmen … Quarter-Masters Mates, Chirurgeons Mates. Ibid. (1715), No. 5298/3. Alexander Inglis, Esq., to be Chyrurgeon-General of his Majesty’s Forces.
1760. Johnson, Lett., 18 Oct., in Boswell. I am glad that the chirurgeon at Coventry gives him so much hope.
1823. Byron, Juan, VIII. xciv. If there might be chirurgeons who could solder The wounds they richly merited.
b. fig.
15[?]. Sc. Poems 16th C. (1801), II. 160. Thou art the chirurgian sure That hailis all eirdly creature.
1631. Quarles, Samson, Div. Poems (1717), 310. Thon great Chirurgion of a bleeding soul.
1670. Baxter, Cure Ch. Div., Pref. I. § 1. Such excellent Chirurgeons, that they will heal Christs body by separating the members.
