cautery

noun

cau·​tery ˈkȯ-tə-rē 

plural cauteries

1

: the act or effect of cauterizing : cauterization

2

: an agent (such as a hot iron or caustic) used to burn, sear, or destroy tissue

Examples of cautery in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

As the doctors began the painstaking process of removing the mass — an orchestrated flurry of fingers tying knots, scalpels slicing flesh, cautery pens searing blood vessels shut — the room grew thick with anticipation. —Megan Molteni, STAT, 21 Feb. 2024

And a resident started a fire in a Nebraska Medicine operating room by accidentally bringing a cautery too close to a flammable liquid medical adhesive. —Max Blau, STAT, 20 Apr. 2018

That type of treatment comes in two forms: Electrocautery, which uses heat from a metal probe, and laser cautery. —Hannah Orenstein, Seventeen, 10 Apr. 2017

Word History

Etymology

Latin cauterium, from Greek kautērion branding iron, from kaiein

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Medical Definition

cautery

noun

cau·​tery ˈkȯt-ə-rē 

plural cauteries

1

: the act or effect of cauterizing : cauterization

2

: a substance or medical device used to burn, sear, or destroy tissue