cauterize

UK: /ˈkɔːtəraɪz/ US: /ˈkɔtəˌraɪz/ ,(kô′tə rīz′)

Inflections of 'cauterize' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

cauterizes

v 3rd person singular (US & UK)

cauterizing

v pres p (US & UK)

cauterized

v past (US & UK)

cauterized

v past p (US & UK)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

cau•ter•ize /ˈkɔtəˌraɪz/   v. [~ + object] , -ized, -iz•ing. 

1. Medicine to burn (a wound) with a hot iron, an electric current, or a caustic substance, esp. to close, stop bleeding, or prevent infection.

cau•ter•i•za•tion /kɔtərəˈzeɪʃən/  n. [uncountable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

cau•ter•ize  (kô′tə rīz′), v.t., -ized, -iz•ing. 

1. Medicine to burn with a hot iron, electric current, fire, or a caustic, esp. for curative purposes;
   treat with a cautery.

Also,[esp. Brit.,] cau′ter•ise′. 

• Greek kauté̄r branding iron, equivalent. to kau-, variant stem of kaíein to burn (compare caustic), + -tēr agent suffix) + -izāre -ize
• Late Latin cautērizāre to brand, equivalent. to cautēr- (
• Middle English 1350–1400

cau′ter•i•za′tion, n. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

cauterize, cauterise / ˈkɔːtəˌraɪz/ verb

1. (transitive) (esp in the treatment of a wound) to burn or sear (body tissue) with a hot iron or caustic agent

Etymology: 14th Century: from Old French cauteriser, from Late Latin cautērizāre, from cautērium branding iron, from Greek kautērion, from kaiein to burn

ˌcauteriˈzation, ˌcauteriˈsation noun