Word
anesthesia
Phoneticsanes·the·sia
/ˌænɪsˈθiʒə/
UK spelling · anaesthesia
Definitions
01medical pain relief
C1 · Advanced Uncountable noun Medicine Technical · American English
n. a medical method of stopping pain during surgery by using special drugs.
n. the administration of pharmacological agents to induce a reversible loss of sensation, allowing for surgical procedures without patient distress.
“The dentist gave her local anesthesia before filling the tooth.”
“Modern anesthesia has evolved significantly, allowing surgeons to perform complex thoracic procedures that were once considered impossible due to patient trauma.”
Usage
Uncountable when referring to the state or the practice; countable when referring to specific types (e.g., 'a local anesthesia').
Synonyms
02loss of feeling
C2 · Proficiency Uncountable noun Medicine Technical · American English
n. the loss of feeling in a part of your body, sometimes caused by an injury.
n. a physical condition involving the loss of sensation, whether induced medically or resulting from nerve damage or neurological lesions.
“He experienced temporary anesthesia in his fingertips after the accident.”
“The patient reported localized anesthesia in the lower extremities, suggesting a potential compression of the spinal nerves.”
Usage
Often used in clinical reports to describe symptoms rather than treatments.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Real-World Examples
“Lindh, who is interested in laboratory animal medicine, has conducted pioneering work on the general properties of vatinoxan as part of anesthesia in rats and mice.” “We had to bring everything she might need, from anesthesia equipment to medications and blankets.” Etymology
Sense of “insensibility” attested since 1679, from New Latin anaesthēsia, from Ancient Greek ἀναισθησία (anaisthēsía, “without sensation”), from ἀν- (an-, “not”) and αἴσθησις (aísthēsis, “sensation”). By surface analysis, an- + -esthesia. Sense of “state induced by an agent” attested since 1846.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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