anesthetic

American  

[an-uhs-thet-ik] / ˌæn əsˈθɛt ɪk /

Or anaesthetic

noun

anesthetics plural

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

Derived Forms

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

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• anesthetics
  plural

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

See Examples For:

anesthetic anesthetics

Many clinicians point to the paracervical block—a simple, targeted injection of a local anesthetic around the cervix—as a way to greatly reduce pain during IUD insertions.

From Slate ● Jun. 7, 2026

Dr. Muhsen Abdullah, the surgeon who heads the emergency room, spoke with a weary tone of a ward without surgical thread or stitches, and anesthesiologists forced to ask patients to purchase their own anesthetic.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 13, 2026

An epidural is an invasive procedure in which an anesthetic is delivered into the body via a catheter inserted into the lower back.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 12, 2025

"The European guidelines of the European Resuscitation Council don't yet set out any specific recommendations for possible anesthetic drugs," explains Jansen.

From Science Daily ● Apr. 24, 2024

It was partly because of our complaining, and the desire to show us how the Spartan boy would have had his tonsils out, that Dad decided to have only a local anesthetic for his operation.

From "Cheaper by the Dozen" by Frank B. Gilbreth Jr. and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey

Their findings are detailed in the paper 'Growth in production and environmental deposition of trifluoroacetic acid due to long-lived CFC replacements and anesthetics'.

From Science Daily ● Feb. 6, 2026

He celebrated the wave of innovations that had enriched human existence—railroads, steamships, telegraphs, telephones, electric lights, anesthetics, antiseptics.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 14, 2025

Al-Aqsa Martyrs has also been short on anesthetics, meaning surgeries and other procedures are frequently performed without painkillers.

From Seattle Times ● Mar. 27, 2024

He and his colleagues solved both problems by pumping water and anesthetics into the fish’s mouth.

From New York Times ● Apr. 25, 2023

Improvements in anesthetics, and new drills and bone saws that allowed for precision cutting of the skull, made it possible.

From "Ugly" by Robert Hoge

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