Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com

anaesthesia

American  
[an-uhs-thee-zhuh] / ˌæn əsˈθi ʒə /

noun

Medicine/Medical, Pathology.
  1. anesthesia.


anaesthesia British  
/ ˌænɪsˈθiːzɪə /

noun

  1. local or general loss of bodily sensation, esp of touch, as the result of nerve damage or other abnormality

  2. loss of sensation, esp of pain, induced by drugs: called general anaesthesia when consciousness is lost and local anaesthesia when only a specific area of the body is involved

  3. a general dullness or lack of feeling

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Etymology

Origin of anaesthesia

C19: from New Latin, from Greek anaisthēsia absence of sensation, from an- + aisthēsis feeling

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Gilby, who had previously been a medic, a consultant in anaesthesia and intensive care, hoped she had several years to go working for the health service before she was forced out.

From BBC • Jan. 15, 2026

To understand why the researchers turned to music, it helps to decode the modern practice of anaesthesia.

From BBC • Nov. 24, 2025

"General anaesthesia plus blocks is the norm," says Dr Tanvi Goel, primary investigator and a former senior resident of Maulana Azad Medical College.

From BBC • Nov. 24, 2025

But its entry into the intensely technical, machine-governed world of anaesthesia marks a quiet shift.

From BBC • Nov. 24, 2025

Come back around 5 o’clock, he had said, when Finny should be coming out of the anaesthesia.

From "A Separate Peace" by John Knowles

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Look it up. Learn it forever.

Remember "anaesthesia" for good with VocabTrainer. Expand your vocabulary effortlessly with personalized learning tools that adapt to your goals.

Take me to Vocabulary.com