cesarean section


  1. A surgical incision through the abdominal wall and uterus, performed to deliver a fetus.

The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

How to use cesarean section in a sentence

Cultural definitions for Cesarean section

Cesarean section

[ (si-zair-ee-uhn) ]


Childbirth by surgical removal of the fetus through an incision made in the wall of the abdomen and in the uterus, usually used as an alternative when natural delivery through the vagina is considered risky. The number of Cesarean sections in the United States has increased sharply in recent years, causing concern among patients, surgeons, and insurers.

Notes for Cesarean section

The term derives from the traditional belief that Julius Caesar was born by this method.

Notes for Cesarean section

The procedure is often referred to colloquially as a “C-section.”

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.