anaesthetic
/ˌænəsˈθetɪk/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌænəsˈθetɪk/ (ame, ipa)
anaesthetic — noun
- anaestheticsingular
- anaestheticsplural
1. A medical substance given to patients during surgery or other procedures so they
A medical substance given to patients during surgery or other procedures so they do not experience pain or other sensations.
The dentist gave Mei a local anaesthetic before filling her cracked molar.
local anaesthetic for numbing a specific area
Vikram was put under general anaesthetic for the four-hour heart surgery.
under + general anaesthetic for major surgery
Kwame's anaesthetic cream numbed his arm before the blood test began.
The hospital where Noa works uses a special anaesthetic for childbirth.
After the anaesthetic wore off, Elena asked the nurse for pain relief tablets.
- analgesic
targets pain only, not all sensation; aspirin and ibuprofen are analgesics
- narcotic
stronger, often addictive, and acts on the central nervous system; narrower scope than anaesthetic
- painkiller
informal everyday term for any medication that stops pain
- stimulant
increases bodily activity and alertness, the opposite of numbing
用法筆記
Frequently used with 'local' (numbing a specific area only) or 'general' (putting the whole body to sleep). Often follows the preposition 'under': 'under anaesthetic'. The American spelling is 'anesthetic'.