D defs.my
Entry 2 senses Webster, 1913

Cautery

· Cau·ter·y · IPA /ˈkɔːtəɹi/
01 n. A burning or searing, as of morbid flesh, with a hot iron, or by application of a caustic that will burn, corrode, or destroy animal tissue.
pl. Cauteries ((#))
  1. 1.
    A burning or searing, as of morbid flesh, with a hot iron, or by application of a caustic that will burn, corrode, or destroy animal tissue.(Med.)
  2. 2.
    The iron of other agent in cauterizing.
Phrases & compounds
Actual cautery — a substance or agent (as a hot iron) which cauterizes or sears by actual heat; or the burning so effected.
Potential cautery — a substance which cauterizes by chemical action; as, lunar caustic; also, the cauterizing produced by such substance.