cauterize

Other spellings

• (UK) cauterise

Pronunciation

• IPA ^(key): /ˈkɔːtəraɪz/
• (US) IPA ^(key): [ˈkʰɔɾəraɪz] or [ˈkʰɑɾəraɪz]

• Audio (UK)

  (file)

Verb

Plain form cauterize

Third-person singular cauterizes

Past tense cauterized

Past participle cauterized

Present participle cauterizing

1. If you cauterize the skin or flesh of a wound, you burn it with a heated instrument or caustic substance so as to stop bleeding or to prevent infection.