cauter

C3A1U1T1E1R1

noun

A hot iron for searing or cauterizing.

OriginFrench cautère ← Latin cauterium ← Ancient Greek καυτήρ →
Scrabble 8
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Meanings

nouncauter (plural cauters)

plural cauters

  1. A hot iron for searing or cauterizing.

    The punctuall, or pointed cauter; is almost square, and altogether Sharpe pointed

    1611, Randle Cotgrave, A Dictionarie of the French and English Tongues. Compiled by Randle Cotgrave

Origin

  1. Ancient Greekκαυτήρ
  2. Latincauterium
  3. Frenchcautère
  4. Englishcauter

From French cautère, Latin cauterium, from Ancient Greek καυτήρ (kautḗr), variant of καυστήρ (kaustḗr, “cauterizing apparatus”), from καίω (kaíō, “burn”)). Compare caustic, cautery.

More words from French, Latin, Ancient Greek

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Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

curateactureCurtea
Cite this entry
APA

cauter. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cauter

MLA

“cauter.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cauter. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “cauter,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cauter.

Source: cauter on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.