cauterize

Meanings

Verb

burn, sear, or freeze (tissue) using a hot iron or electric current or a caustic agent
- "The surgeon cauterized the wart"
make insensitive or callous; deaden feelings or morals
To burn and hence seal open tissue using a heated article or caustic agent so as to stop bleeding or minimise the risk of infection.

Origin / Etymology

From Middle French cauteriser, from Late Latin cauterizō (“to burn with a hot iron”), from Ancient Greek καυτηριάζω (kautēriázō, “to brand”), from καυτήρ (kautḗr, “branding iron”), from καίω (kaíō, “to burn”).

Synonyms

burn, callous, cauterise

Scrabble Score: 20

cauterize is a valid Scrabble (US) TWL word
cauterize is a valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
cauterize is a valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 22

cauterize is a valid Words With Friends word