general anesthesia

noun

: anesthesia affecting the entire body and accompanied by loss of consciousness compare local anesthesia

general anesthetic noun

Examples of general anesthesia in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The condition of the patient, Henry A. Brown, had been deemed too risky for general anesthesia. —Scott Lafee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Apr. 2025

While some tattoo studios might offer numbing cream, people usually don’t get general anesthesia for tattoos. —Michelle Marchante, Miami Herald, 26 Feb. 2025

Listen to this article Imagine having ankle surgery without general anesthesia, watching the whole procedure in real time, then walking out of the procedure on that very ankle. —Pamela McLoughlin, Hartford Courant, 24 Feb. 2025

Some deep peels require general anesthesia, but mild or moderate chemical peels do not. —Laura Schober, Health, 23 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1881, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for general anesthesia

• amnesia
• atresia
• babesia
• anaesthesia
• analgesia
• dyskinesia
• paresthesia
• hyperalgesia
• hyperesthesia

Medical Definition

general anesthesia

noun

: anesthesia affecting the entire body and accompanied by loss of consciousness