Cauterises

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. The act of applying intense heat to biological tissue for the purpose of sealing wounds or destroying abnormal growths is practiced in surgeries
2. A medical method employs heat to burn or seal tissues in order to prevent infections or control bleeding
3. The process involves using high temperatures to treat or modify living tissue, commonly to close wounds or eliminate unwanted growths

Etymology: "Cauterises" is the third-person singular present form of "cauterise", so the history belongs to the verb itself. That verb comes from the Greek "kauterion", a branding iron or instrument for burning, which was built on "kaiein", to burn. The Greek word passed into Latin as "cauterium" and then into Middle English through Old French, where "cauterise" gained its sense of burning living tissue to stop bleeding or destroy infected flesh. The verb's modern meaning of sealing a wound with heat has changed little from that original medical use, though it is also used figuratively for something harsh that stops a problem by force.

Synonyms: burns, sears, brands

Antonyms: soothes, heals