A lobotomy is a surgical operation in which some of the nerves in the brain are cut in order to treat severe mental illness.
[medicine]
lobotomy in British English
(ləʊˈbɒtəmɪ)
nounWord forms: plural-mies
1.
a surgical incision into a lobe of any organ
2. Also called: prefrontal leucotomy
a surgical interruption of one or more nerve tracts in the frontal lobe of the brain: formerly used in the treatment of mental illness
Word origin
C20: from lobe + -tomy
lobotomy in American English
(loʊˈbɑtəmi)
nounWord forms: pluralloˈbotomies
a surgical operation in which a lobe of the brain, esp. the frontal lobe of the cerebrum, is cut into or across: now rarely used as a treatment for psychoses
Word origin
< lobe + -tomy
Examples of 'lobotomy' in a sentence
lobotomy
We have, if you like, given ourselves a collective lobotomy.
Edward Docx THE CALLIGRAPHER (2003)
I spent a month in the dead zone watching lobotomy candidates while you were out walking around in the real world.