noun
anesthesia
an-uhs-THEEZ-ee-uh
noun
1
A medically induced state in which a patient cannot feel pain, used during surgery or other procedures.
"She woke up an hour after the anesthesia wore off."
"The dentist used local anesthesia before pulling the tooth."
2
The loss of sensation itself, whether caused deliberately by medicine or by nerve damage.
"The nerve injury left a patch of anesthesia across his forearm."
How to Use Anesthesia
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe medical process (or drug) that blocks pain, used so patients don't feel surgery happening.
UK vs US
Spelled "anaesthesia" in British English, "anesthesia" in American English.
Common pairings
general anesthesia
local anesthesia
under anesthesia
administer anesthesia
Word Forms
anesthesias plural
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She woke up an hour after the _____ wore off.
Etymology
From Greek an- ("without") + aisthesis ("sensation") — literally "no feeling."