ablation

ab·la·tion  (-blshn)

n.

1. Surgical excision or amputation of a body part or tissue.

2. The erosive processes by which a glacier is reduced.

3. Aerospace 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.

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[Late Latin ablti, abltin-, from Latin abltus, past participle of auferre, to carry away : ab-, away; see ab-¹ + ltus, carried; see tel- in Indo-European roots.]

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ab·lator n.

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ablation

Noun

1. the surgical removal of an organ or part

2. the wearing away of a rock or glacier

3. the melting of a part, such as the heat shield of a space re-entry vehicle [Latin ablatus carried away]

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ablation  (-blshn)

1. The wearing away or destruction of the outer or forward surface of an object, such as a meteorite or a spacecraft, as it moves very rapidly through the atmosphere. The friction of the air striking the object heats and often melts or burns its outer layers. Spacecraft and missiles are often equipped with heat shields designed to wear away by ablation in order to prevent heat from building up in structurally important parts.

2. The process by which snow and ice are removed from a glacier or other mass of ice. Ablation typically occurs through melting, sublimation, wind erosion, or calving. The ablation zone is the area of a glacier that has the lowest elevation, where annual water loss is greater than the annual accumulation of snow.

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ablation

Medicine. removal of part of the body by surgery.

See also: Surgery

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	ablation - surgical removal of a body part or tissue cutting out, extirpation, excision adenoidectomy - surgical removal of the adenoids; commonly performed along with tonsillectomy adrenalectomy, suprarenalectomy - surgical removal of one or both adrenal glands appendectomy, appendicectomy - surgical removal of the vermiform appendix cholecystectomy - surgical removal of the gall bladder (usually for relief of gallstone pain) clitoridectomy, female circumcision - excision of the clitoris surgical operation, surgical procedure, surgical process, surgery, operation - a medical procedure involving an incision with instruments; performed to repair damage or arrest disease in a living body; "they will schedule the operation as soon as an operating room is available"; "he died while undergoing surgery" embolectomy - surgical removal of an embolus (usually from an artery) endarterectomy - surgical removal of the inner lining of an artery that is clogged with atherosclerosis enervation - surgical removal of a nerve hypophysectomy - surgical removal of the pituitary gland hysterectomy - surgical removal of the uterus laminectomy - surgical removal of the bony arches on one or more vertebrae laryngectomy - surgical removal of part or all of the larynx (usually to treat cancer of the larynx) lithotomy - surgical removal of a stone (calculus) lobectomy - surgical removal of a lobe from any organ of the body (as the lung or brain) lumpectomy - surgical removal of a tumor without removing much of the surrounding tissue or lymph nodes; performed in some cases of breast cancer mastectomy - surgical removal of a breast to remove a malignant tumor mastoidectomy - surgical removal of some or all of the mastoid process meniscectomy - surgical removal of the meniscus of the knee nephrectomy - surgical removal of a kidney neurectomy - surgical removal of all or part of a nerve oophorectomy, ovariectomy - surgical removal of one of both ovaries oophorosalpingectomy - surgical removal of one or both ovaries and the corresponding Fallopian tubes ophthalmectomy - surgical removal of an eye orchidectomy, orchiectomy - surgical removal of one or both testicles pancreatectomy - surgical removal of part or all of the pancreas pneumonectomy - surgical removal of a lung (usually to treat lung cancer) prostatectomy - surgical removal of part or all of the prostate gland salpingectomy - surgical removal of one or both Fallopian tubes septectomy - surgical removal of all or part of a septum (especially the nasal septum or atrial septum) sigmoidectomy - surgical removal of part or all of the sigmoid colon (usually to remove a malignant tumor) splenectomy - surgical removal of the spleen stapedectomy - surgical removal of the stapes of the middle ear sympathectomy - surgical interruption of a nerve pathway in the sympathetic nervous system thrombectomy - surgical removal of a blood clot (thrombus) from a blood vessel thyroidectomy - surgical removal of the thyroid gland tonsillectomy - surgical removal of the palatine tonsils; commonly performed along with adenoidectomy vasectomy - surgical procedure that removes all or part of the vas deferens (usually as a means of sterilization); is sometimes reversible vulvectomy - surgical removal of part or all of the vulva
	2.	ablation - the erosive process that reduces the size of glaciers eating away, eroding, erosion, wearing, wearing away - (geology) the mechanical process of wearing or grinding something down (as by particles washing over it)