Simple Definition of cauterize

from our Learner's Dictionary

cauterize

verb

variants also British cauterise
cauterizes; cauterized; cauterizing
medical : to burn (something, such as a wound) with heat or a chemical substance in order to destroy infected tissue
The doctors cauterized the wound.

Cite this Entry

“Cauterize.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/cauterize. Accessed 18 Apr. 2026.

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