anesthetic

Or an·aes·thet·ic

[an-uhs-thet-ik]

noun

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

adjective

1. pertaining to or causing physical insensibility.

   an anesthetic gas.

2. physically insensitive.

   Halothane is used to produce an anesthetic state.

anesthetic

/ ˌænɪsˈθɛtɪk /

noun

1. the usual US spelling of anaesthetic

anesthetic

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

anesthetic

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.)

Other Word Forms

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of anesthetic¹

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

Example Sentences

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

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She was once so desperate for a stress remedy that she got an anesthetic injection in her neck that is meant to block sympathetic nerves and provide a temporary sense of calm.

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

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Ketamine is typically used as an anesthetic but has grown in popularity over the last decade as a therapeutic treatment for specific mental health diagnoses, including post-traumatic stress disorder and depression.

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Ketamine is typically used as an anesthetic but has grown in popularity over the last decade as a therapeutic treatment for certain mental health diagnoses, including post-traumatic stress disorder and depression.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• opiate