ablate

(ab lāt)

transitive verb ablated, ablating

  1. to remove, as by surgery
  2. Astrophysics to wear away, melt, or vaporize (surface material) by entering into or passing through the atmosphere at supersonic speed
  3. Geol. to wear away, as by erosion

Origin: back-form. < ablation < LL(Ec) ablatio, a taking away < L ablatus: see ablative

intransitive verb

to undergo ablation

Related Forms:

See ablate in American Heritage Dictionary 4

verb ab·lat·ed, ab·lat·ing, ab·lates
verb, transitive
  1. Medicine To excise, amputate, or otherwise destroy the biological function of (a body tissue, for example).
  2. To remove by erosion, melting, evaporation, or vaporization.
verb, intransitive
To become ablated; undergo ablation.

Origin:

Origin: Back-formation from ablation

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