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Definition of anesthesia

anesthesia

/ˌæn.əsˈθiː.ʒə/
(UK: anaesthesia)
an · es · the · sia
Adverb:anesthetically
•
Plural:anesthesias
•
Adjective:anesthetic
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anesthesia Lexical Profile

anesthesia Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

American A medically induced, temporary state of partial or total loss of sensation, awareness, or pain, administered to permit surgical or diagnostic procedures.

Example

"The surgeon explained that the wisdom tooth extraction would be performed under local anesthesia."

2

American A partial or complete loss of physical sensation in a part of the body, caused by nerve damage, injury, or neurological disorder.

Example

"Compression of the spinal nerve resulted in temporary anesthesia along the patient's lower leg."

Synonyms
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Antonyms
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Word Nuance & Usage

Spelled "anesthesia" in American English and "anaesthesia" in British and Commonwealth English. Do not confuse with "anesthetic," which refers to the drug or agent used to induce the state of anesthesia.

• Rhymes for anesthesia

• Nearby Words

anemone
anemonefish
aneroid barometer
anesthesia
anesthesiologist
anesthetic
anesthetist

Word Origin & Etymology

Borrowed via Modern Latin from Ancient Greek anaisthēsia, meaning "insensibility" or "lack of feeling," from an- ("without") and aisthēsis ("sensation" or "perception"). Its modern clinical sense for medically induced insensibility was popularized in 1846 by physician and writer Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr.

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Anesthesia. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/anesthesia
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