anesthetic
3 synonyms for anesthetic, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — A drug used to stop pain or cause unconsciousness for a medical procedure.
Synonyms
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
anaesthetic
anesthetic agent
anaesthetic agent
Synonyms by Meaning
1. noun
A drug used to stop pain or cause unconsciousness for a medical procedure.
“The surgeon administered the anesthetic before making the first incision.”
anaesthetic
anesthetic agent
anaesthetic agent
2. adj
Causing loss of sensation or reducing pain.
“The cream has a mild anesthetic effect on sore muscles.”
anaesthetic
How to use anesthetic
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
local anesthetic
general anesthetic
anesthetic gas
Etymology
From Greek an- ("without") + aisthetikos ("able to feel") — describing something that removes feeling.
Full origin of anesthetic →Frequently asked questions
What does “anesthetic” mean?
The word “anesthetic” means a drug used to stop pain or cause unconsciousness for a medical procedure. In plain terms, either the pain-blocking drug itself, or an adjective describing something that blocks pain.
How do you pronounce “anesthetic”?
“Anesthetic” is pronounced a-nuhs-THEH-tihk (/ˌænəsˈθɛtɪk/ in IPA).
How do you use “anesthetic” in a sentence?
Here is “anesthetic” used in a sentence: “The surgeon administered the anesthetic before making the first incision.”
What part of speech is “anesthetic”?
Depending on how it is used, “anesthetic” can be a noun and an adjective.
Where does the word “anesthetic” come from?
The word “anesthetic” comes from Greek. From Greek an- ("without") + aisthetikos ("able to feel") — describing something that removes feeling.
How many meanings does “anesthetic” have?
“Anesthetic” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a drug used to stop pain or cause unconsciousness for a medical procedure.
