local anesthesia

noun

: loss of sensation in a limited and usually superficial area produced especially by an anesthetic affecting only a part of the body

This procedure is usually performed under local anesthesia, and can be done by a dermatologist or plastic surgeon on an outpatient basis.

—Consumer Reports

compare general anesthesia

local anesthetic noun

More than 60 percent of American women choose relief in the form of an epidural, a combination of local anesthetic and narcotic administered into the epidural space surrounding the spinal cord.

—Melinda Wenner Moyer

Examples of local anesthesia in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

An ophthalmologic surgeon can make a small incision in your eye under local anesthesia, remove the clouded lens and replace with an artificial intraocular lens made out of either plastic or silicone. — Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes.com, 3 May 2026

Ungaro and Araujo told the detective that the 40-minute procedure would be conducted using local anesthesia, according to the warrant. — Julie K. Brown, Miami Herald, 18 Apr. 2026

Performed under local anesthesia, the process involves removing a small amount of cells from the inner thigh, belly or knees and injecting them into the temples, cheeks and nasolabial folds. — Beth Landman, HollywoodReporter, 13 Mar. 2026

In the operating room, patients undergoing procedures with local anesthesia, while still conscious, may have difficulty expressing their levels of pain. — IEEE Spectrum, 12 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1867, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for local anesthesia

• amnesia
• atresia
• babesia
• anaesthesia
• analgesia
• dyskinesia
• paresthesia
• hyperalgesia
• hyperesthesia

Medical Definition

local anesthesia

noun

: loss of sensation in a limited and usually superficial area especially from the effect of a local anesthetic