# cauterize

> English word · Verb · IPA /ˈkɔːtəɹaɪz/ · frequency rank #90,268

## Definitions
1. To burn and hence seal open tissue using a heated article or caustic agent so as to stop bleeding or minimise the risk of infection.

## Etymology
From Middle French cauteriser, from Late Latin cauterizō (“to burn with a hot iron”), from Ancient Greek καυτηριάζω (kautēriázō, “to brand”), from καυτήρ (kautḗr, “branding iron”), from καίω (kaíō, “to burn”).

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/cauterize