anesthetic. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition. 2000.

The American Heritage^® Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition. 2000.

anesthetic

SYLLABICATION:	an·es·thet·ic
PRONUNCIATION:	ns-thtk
VARIANT FORMS:	also an·aes·thet·ic
ADJECTIVE:	1. Relating to or resembling anesthesia. 2. Causing anesthesia. 3. Insensitive.
NOUN:	1. An agent that causes loss of sensation with or without the loss of consciousness. 2. Something likened to this in effect: For some people watching television is an anesthetic for the mind.
ETYMOLOGY:	From Greek anaisthtos, without feeling : an-, without; see a–¹ + aisthtos, perceptible (from aisthanesthai, to feel; see anesthesia).
OTHER FORMS:	anes·theti·cal·ly —ADVERB


The American Heritage^® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Copyright © 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by the Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.