Anesthetic

Part of speech: noun, adjective

Pronunciation: /ˌænəsˈθɛtɪk/

Definitions

1. A substance that causes loss of sensation or consciousness, used medically to prevent pain during surgery or medical procedures
2. A chemical agent that blocks feeling or awareness to avoid pain during treatment ; connected to or causing numbness or the absence of bodily feeling
3. A drug that induces numbness or unconsciousness to stop pain from being felt ; pertaining to a state where sensation is diminished or eliminated

Etymology: The key surprise here is the Greek word it was built from. "Anaisthetos" meant "insensible" or "without feeling," and the English word is a deliberate Latinized version of it, with the Greek prefix "an-" ("not") joined to "aisthetikos," meaning "perceptible." The core idea is therefore a double negative: a state of not perceiving. The "an-" prefix is what gives the word its meaning. Attached to a root meaning "perceptible," it produces a term for the removal of sensation. Two pathways feed into the English form. It can be read as "an-" plus "esthetic," or as a Latinized form of the Greek word "anaisthetos," with the Latin suffix "-ic" added at the end. The English word "aesthetic," meaning relating to beauty or taste, comes from the same "aisthetikos" root, which is why the two words are related. "Anesthetic" took the sensory sense of that root and turned it toward absence, so that "aesthetic" concerns what is perceived while "anesthetic" concerns what is made imperceptible.

Synonyms: narcotic, painkiller, sedative, analgesic

Antonyms: stimulant