cautery

American  

[kaw-tuh-ree] / ˈkɔ tə ri /

noun

cauteries plural

1. an escharotic substance, electric current, or hot iron used to destroy tissue.

2. the process of destroying tissue with a cautery.

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cautery British  

/ ˈkɔːtərɪ /

noun

1. the coagulation of blood or destruction of body tissue by cauterizing

2. Also called: cauterant.  an instrument or chemical agent for cauterizing

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cautery Scientific  

/ kô′tə-rē /

1. An agent or instrument used to destroy tissue, as in surgery, by burning, searing, cutting, or scarring, including caustic substances, electric currents, and lasers.

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Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

noun

• cauteries
  plural

Etymology

Origin of cautery

1350–1400; Middle English < Latin cautērium < Greek kautḗrion, equivalent to kautḗr branding iron ( see cauterize) + -ion diminutive suffix

Example Sentences

The procedure is said to be faster than other ablation techniques like cautery or freezing, and less likely to damage the esophagus, which lies next to the atrium.

From New York Times • Jul. 26, 2021

Recognition that brain tumors may develop suddenly and rapidly, that the electric cautery knife makes possible more complete removal of brain and spinal cord tumors.

From Time Magazine Archive

Through the second he inserts the electric cautery and a tiny surgical knife.

From Time Magazine Archive

The cautery reaches places which the scalpel cannot touch.*

From Time Magazine Archive

For haemorrhages he used sutures--a little too closely perhaps--styptics, cautery or ligature.

From The Popes and Science The History of the Papal Relations to Science During the Middle Ages and Down to Our Own Time by Walsh, James J.