anesthetic

American  

[an-uhs-thet-ik] / ˌæn əsˈθɛt ɪk /

Or anaesthetic

noun

1. a substance that produces anesthesia, as halothane, procaine, or ether.

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adjective

1. pertaining to or causing physical insensibility.

   an anesthetic gas.

2. physically insensitive.

   Halothane is used to produce an anesthetic state.

anesthetic British  

/ ˌænɪsˈθɛtɪk /

noun

1. the usual US spelling of anaesthetic

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anesthetic Scientific  

/ ăn′ĭs-thĕt′ĭk /

1. A drug that temporarily depresses neuronal function, producing total or partial loss of sensation with or without the loss of consciousness.

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anesthetic Cultural  

1. A substance that causes loss of sensation or consciousness. With the aid of an anesthetic, people can undergo surgery without pain. (See general anesthetic and local anesthetic.)

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Other Word Forms

• anesthetically
  adverb
• nonanesthetic
  adjective
• postanesthetic
  adjective
• semianesthetic
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of anesthetic

1840–50, < Greek anaísthēt ( os ) without feeling, senseless + -ic; see an- ¹, aesthetic

Compare meaning

How does anesthetic compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• anesthesia vs. anesthetic

Explanation

The next time you go to the dentist, make sure you know the word anesthetic. This drug causes a temporary loss of feeling, making it your best friend if the drill has to be used. The word anesthetic traces back to the Greek word anaisthēsia, from a combination of an-, meaning “without” and aisthēsis, meaning “sensation.” If you take an anesthetic that’s what happens: you are temporarily without sensation, meaning you feel no pain. A general anesthetic causes temporary unconsciousness and is often used during surgeries. A local anesthetic numbs just one area, such your mouth or a finger.

Example Sentences

At times, his dazzling piano playing calls Art Tatum to mind; elsewhere, singing lighthearted ditties like “There’s No Anesthetic for Love” in a repartee with his trio-mates, he sounds a lot like Louis Jordan.

From New York Times • Dec. 20, 2019

Anesthetic gases also appear to be teratogenic, or capable of causing birth defects.

From Time Magazine Archive

Anesthetic gases might knock people out, but there was no guarantee that they would wake up, ever, especially the small children.

From Time Magazine Archive

Slow Anesthetic, Two Cincinnatians, Theodore Harold Rider and Eugene Wiley Scott, presented a new local anesthetic which they claim is stronger than novocaine or cocaine and can replace those drugs.

From Time Magazine Archive

Anesthetic incidents under conditions in which great pain might well be expected are not uncommon.

From Psychotherapy by Walsh, James J. (James Joseph)

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