cauterize

C2+ Topic:Actions & Processes

Also spelled cauterised

US /ˈkɔtəˌraɪz/ UK /ˈkɔːtəraɪz/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

verb
to burn tissue to stop bleeding or prevent infection

The surgeon moved quickly to cauterize the wound.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to burn tissue to stop... burn sear brand

Word family

Derived forms cauterizationcauterized

Related forms cautery caustic

Etymology

From Late Latin cauterizare, from Greek kauteriazein ('to brand with a hot iron'), from kauter ('branding iron'), from kaiein ('to burn').

kauter Ancient Greek kaiein Ancient Greek

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# cauterize

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /ˈkɔtəˌraɪz/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈkɔːtəraɪz/

## Meanings
1. to burn tissue to stop bleeding or prevent infection

## Examples
- The surgeon moved quickly to cauterize the wound.

## Synonyms
- burn
- sear
- brand

## Derived Forms
- cauterization
- cauterized

## Related Forms
- cautery
- caustic

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: kauter
- Root: kaiein

## Etymology
From Late Latin cauterizare, from Greek kauteriazein ('to brand with a hot iron'), from kauter ('branding iron'), from kaiein ('to burn').

## AI Etymology
Cauterize comes from Late Latin cauterizare, from Greek kauteriazein ('to brand with a hot iron'), from kauter ('branding iron'), from kaiein ('to burn'). The historical trail runs through kauter in Ancient Greek and kaiein in Ancient Greek. Used as a verb, cauterize now means "burn tissue to stop bleeding or prevent infection", so the present definition can be read against the older forms and meanings. The same lexical family is also visible in derived forms such as cauterization and cauterized and related forms such as cautery and caustic. The result is a borrowed or transmitted form whose modern spelling carries a compact record of its route into English.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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