plural cauteries
1
: the act or effect of cauterizing : cauterization
2
: an agent (such as a hot iron or caustic) used to burn, sear, or destroy tissue
Examples of cautery in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
As the doctors began the painstaking process of removing the mass — an orchestrated flurry of fingers tying knots, scalpels slicing flesh, cautery pens searing blood vessels shut — the room grew thick with anticipation.
—
Megan Molteni, STAT, 21 Feb. 2024
During such procedures, a surgeon is tasked with steering the tip of an endoscope to the appropriate spot, applying tension to the tissue, and manipulating electro-cautery tools to make the cut—all in a very small space.
—IEEE Spectrum, 19 Oct. 2017
That type of treatment comes in two forms: Electrocautery, which uses heat from a metal probe, and laser cautery.
—Hannah Orenstein, Seventeen, 10 Apr. 2017
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Megan Molteni, STAT, 21 Feb. 2024
During such procedures, a surgeon is tasked with steering the tip of an endoscope to the appropriate spot, applying tension to the tissue, and manipulating electro-cautery tools to make the cut—all in a very small space.
—IEEE Spectrum, 19 Oct. 2017
That type of treatment comes in two forms: Electrocautery, which uses heat from a metal probe, and laser cautery.
—Hannah Orenstein, Seventeen, 10 Apr. 2017
Cite this Entry
“Cautery.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cautery. Accessed 21 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
cautery
noun
cau·tery
ˈkȯt-ə-rē 
plural cauteries
1
: the act or effect of cauterizing : cauterization
2
: a substance or medical device used to burn, sear, or destroy tissue
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