'appendicectomy' originates from New Latin/Greek elements: Latin 'appendix' meaning 'something attached' + Greek 'ektomē' meaning 'excision'.

'appendicectomy' was formed by combining Latin 'appendix' with Greek-derived surgical suffix '-ectomy' (from Greek 'ektomē'), evolving through New Latin/medical Latin into the modern English term 'appendicectomy' (and the variant 'appendectomy').

Initially the components meant 'excision of an attachment', and the term has retained the specific medical meaning 'excision (removal) of the appendix'.