anesthesia
noun
an·es·the·sia
| \ ˌa-nəs-ˈthē-zhə
\
\
Definition of anesthesia
1
: loss of sensation with or without loss of consciousness
The patient was given intravenous medication to induce anesthesia. … doctors freeze the tumor with little coils filled with liquid nitrogen that are inserted in the prostate under anesthesia.— Andy Grove Awareness during anesthesia is a serious complication with potential long-term psychological consequences.— Michael S. Avidan et al. We often radiograph dogs when they are under anesthesia for spaying or neutering or other routine procedures.— Bonnie Wilcox
— see also general anesthesia, local anesthesia
2
: an agent that produces anesthesia : anesthetic
A capnometer measures the amount of carbon dioxide in exhaled air, thereby insuring that the tubes bringing oxygen and anesthesia to the patient are properly placed.— Lisa Belkin She was still groggy from her anesthesia, and she had an I.V. tube in her arm. — The New Yorker These substances [=endorphins], which have been identified in recent years through research on brain chemistry, act as a natural anesthesia that can lessen extreme pain.— Norman Cousins
Examples of anesthesia in a Sentence
The patient was given an injection to induce anesthesia.
Recent Examples on the Web
The procedure takes less than an hour—sometimes even twenty minutes—and is performed under anesthesia. — Halie Lesavage, Harper's BAZAAR, "What Is a Lip Lift?," 26 Aug. 2019 In non-medical speak, a lipoma is a non-cancerous, squishy ball that pops out from under the skin with a small incision and a little pressure under local anesthesia. — Megan Decker, refinery29.com, "The 7 Biggest Dr. Pimple Popper Lipoma Extractions Ever," 5 July 2019 To be sure, anesthesia must be adjusted to accommodate patients of all sorts, apart from cannabis use. — Kate Ruder, chicagotribune.com, "If you smoke pot, your anesthesiologist needs to know," 5 Aug. 2019 To be sure, anesthesia must be adjusted to accommodate patients of all sorts, apart from cannabis use. — NBC News, "If you smoke pot, your anesthesiologist needs to know," 1 Aug. 2019 If anesthesia or sedation is used, someone must accompany the patient to drive him or her home. — Julie Washington, cleveland.com, "Newer guidelines call for colonoscopies 5 years earlier, many insurances cover costs," 28 July 2019 This is not due to excessive anesthesia, smart alecks. — Heather Wilhelm, National Review, "Be Yourself, the Screen Commanded," 25 July 2019 The medical team kept Nelson under anesthesia despite his low oxygen level, according to Braker's complaint. — Monica Haider, CNN, "Family sues after high school principal dies from donating bone marrow to save a boy," 23 July 2019 In early September 2017, Warren, one of the two bull elephants among the 17 imported from Swaziland, succumbed at the age of 8 or 9 while under anesthesia for surgery on a cracked tusk. — New York Times, "Zoos Called It a ‘Rescue.’ But Are the Elephants Really Better Off?," 9 July 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'anesthesia.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for anesthesia
anesthesia
noun
English Language Learners Definition of anesthesia
medical
: loss of feeling in a person's body or part of the body through the use of drugs
See the full definition for anesthesia in the English Language Learners Dictionary
anesthesia
noun
an·es·the·sia
| \ ˌa-nəs-ˈthē-zhə
\
\
Kids Definition of anesthesia
: loss of feeling in all or part of the body with or without loss of consciousness
The patient was given an injection before surgery to produce anesthesia.
anesthesia
noun
an·es·the·sia
variants:
or chiefly British anaesthesia \ ˌan-əs-ˈthē-zhə
\
\
Medical Definition of anesthesia
1
: loss of sensation with or without loss of consciousness that is artificially produced by the administration of one or more agents that block the passage of pain impulses along nerve pathways to the brain
… doctors freeze the tumor with little coils filled with liquid nitrogen that are inserted in the prostate under anesthesia.— Andy Grove Awareness during anesthesia is a serious complication with potential long-term psychological consequences.— Michael S. Avidan et al.
— see general anesthesia, local anesthesia
2
: loss of sensation especially to touch usually resulting from injury or disease
3
: an agent that produces anesthesia : anesthetic
During surgery, you will be given some form of anesthesia, which are medicines given to relieve pain and sensation during surgery. — HopkinsMedicine.org A capnometer measures the amount of carbon dioxide in exhaled air, thereby insuring that the tubes bringing oxygen and anesthesia to the patient are properly placed.— Lisa Belkin
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