surgeon general

American

noun

plural

surgeons general

the chief of medical services in one of the armed forces.
(initial capital letters) the head of the U.S. Bureau of Public Health or, in some states, of a state health agency.

surgeon general British

noun

(in the British, US, and certain other armies and navies) the senior officer of the medical service
the head of the public health service in the US

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of surgeon general

First recorded in 1770–80

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The Surgeon General is supposed to provide Americans with “the best scientific information available on how to improve their health and reduce their risk of illness and injury,” according to the HHS website.

From The Wall Street Journal

Appeared in the February 26, 2026, print edition as 'A Vaccine Skeptic for Surgeon General'.

From The Wall Street Journal

Lurie said that the surgeon general has essentially two formal functions in the government.

From Salon

Lurie said that usually the most powerful surgeon general reports are those that leave consumers with the ability to make changes themselves or that might spur policy change.

From Salon

“It’s awful how much waste that is,” said Pamela Schweitzer, a pharmacist and former assistant U.S. surgeon general.

From The Wall Street Journal

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023