ablation

(ă-blāˈshən)

1. Surgical excision or amputation of a body part or tissue.
2. The erosive processes by which a glacier is reduced.
3. Aerospace
   a. The dissipation of heat generated by atmospheric friction, especially in the atmospheric reentry of a spacecraft or missile, by means of a melting heat shield.
   b. The reduction or removal of heat-protective surface material by aerodynamic friction, as from a heat shield.

Related Forms:

• ab·laˈtor noun