anesthesia
- 01 C1 Advanced
a medical method of stopping pain during surgery by using special drugs.
the administration of pharmacological agents to induce a reversible loss of sensation, allowing for surgical procedures without patient distress.
Simple“The dentist gave her local anesthesia before filling the tooth.”
In context“Modern anesthesia has evolved significantly, allowing surgeons to perform complex thoracic procedures that were once considered impossible due to patient trauma.”
UsageUncountable when referring to the state or the practice; countable when referring to specific types (e.g., 'a local anesthesia').
Synonymsnumbinginsensibility - 02 C2 Proficiency
the loss of feeling in a part of your body, sometimes caused by an injury.
a physical condition involving the loss of sensation, whether induced medically or resulting from nerve damage or neurological lesions.
Simple“He experienced temporary anesthesia in his fingertips after the accident.”
In context“The patient reported localized anesthesia in the lower extremities, suggesting a potential compression of the spinal nerves.”
UsageOften used in clinical reports to describe symptoms rather than treatments.
SynonymsnumbnessinsensitivityAntonyms
“We had to bring everything she might need, from anesthesia equipment to medications and blankets.”
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.