ablation

noun

ab·​la·​tion a-ˈblā-shən 

: the process of ablating: such as

a

: surgical removal

b

: loss of a part (such as ice from a glacier or the outside of a nose cone) by melting or vaporization

Examples of ablation in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

According to the Mayo Clinic, nerve ablation is a procedure that destroys nerves in an area of pain. —Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 10 May 2025

Among the oldest and less common is radiofrequency ablation, in which the surgeon inserts electrodes that have their tips heated to 70 degrees Celsius into the skull to generate a lesion. —Frieda Klotz, Smithsonian Magazine, 25 Apr. 2025

But studying laser ablation, McLaughlin said, would mean drilling holes in the skill of someone not getting treatment. —Frieda Klotz, Smithsonian Magazine, 25 Apr. 2025

The legacy way to treat conditions such as atrial fibrillation used extreme heat (radiofrequency ablation) or cold (cryoablation). —Kevin Stankiewicz, CNBC, 16 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English ablacioun "removal," borrowed from Late Latin ablātiōn-, ablātiō, from Latin ablā-, suppletive stem of auferre "to carry away, remove" + -tiōn-, tiō, suffix of action nouns — more at ablate

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for ablation

• bination
• carnation
• cassation
• castration
• causation
• centration
• cessation
• cetacean
• chelation
• citation
• collation
• conflation

Kids Definition

ablation

noun

ab·​la·​tion a-ˈblā-shən 

: the process of ablating: as

a

: surgical cutting and removal

b

: removal of a part (as the outside of a nose cone) by melting or vaporization

Medical Definition

ablation

noun

ab·​la·​tion a-ˈblā-shən 

: the process of ablating

especially : surgical removal