HealthAugust 9, 2026

anesthesiology

an-es-THEE-zee-ol-uh-jee

Definition

The branch of medicine concerned with the study and practice of administering anesthesia to prevent pain and induce sedation during medical procedures.

Etymology

Derived from the Greek 'anaisthesia' (meaning 'lack of sensation' or 'insensibility') combined with '-logy' (meaning 'study of'). The term emerged in the 19th century as medical practices for blocking pain became a formal field of study.

In the news

The term is used to identify the medical specialty of the senior study author, Dr. Hemal H. Patel, who researches how meditation and other practices influence physical biology.

Scientists say just 7 days of meditation can rewire your brain

Read the full article ↗

ScienceDaily

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