"excision of a kidney," 1880, from nephro- "kidney" + -ectomy "a cutting out."
Entries linking to nephrectomy
nephro-
before vowels nephr-, word-forming element meaning "kidney, kidneys," from Greek nephros "a kidney" (plural nephroi), from PIE *negwhro- "kidney" (source also of Latin nefrones, Old Norse nyra, Dutch nier, German Niere "kidney").
-ectomy
word-forming element meaning "surgical removal," from Latinized form of Greek -ektomia "a cutting out of," from ektemnein "to cut out," from ek "out" (see ex-) + temnein "to cut" (from PIE root *tem- "to cut").