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

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Etymology

Origin of anesthetic

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

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Compare meaning

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

• anesthesia vs. anesthetic

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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

"Most of these smuggled animals will be in a weak condition... some are given sedatives or even mild anesthetic to keep them from moving or making noise," Thanawadee said.

From Barron's ● Sep. 10, 2026

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.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 1, 2025

In June 2023, the pontiff underwent another operation under general anesthetic to remove scar tissue and repair a hernia in his abdominal wall, problems incurred by his previous colon surgery.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 21, 2025

A local anesthetic provides some relief, but providers still recommend taking ibuprofen shortly before your appointment.

From Slate ● Aug. 27, 2024

He knelt on the floor and cleaned the cuts before numbing the soles of my feet with some sort of anesthetic.

From "Anthem of a Reluctant Prophet" by Joanne Proulx

Conversely, consider general anesthetics: When patients have their interoception shut down, they are also put to sleep.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 4, 2026

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

The reason, its authors wrote, was that “we had no data available on analgesics or possible local anesthetics used during ritual circumcisions in our cohort, so we were unable to address the paracetamol hypothesis directly.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 14, 2025

The settlement didn’t spell out the specific changes agreed to by the state, including whether anesthetics would be available.

From Seattle Times ● Apr. 8, 2024

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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