ablate

verb

ab·​late a-ˈblāt How to pronounce ablate (audio)
ablated; ablating

transitive verb

: to remove or destroy especially by cutting, abrading, or evaporating

intransitive verb

: to become ablated
especially : vaporize sense 1

Examples of ablate in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
On entering the Earth's atmosphere on a trajectory to mimic that of a lunar return at 25,000 mph (40,000 km/h), sections of the shield were charred and hadn't ablated as designed. David Szondy, New Atlas, 6 Dec. 2024 The Orion heat shield is designed to ablate, or char, during re-entry when the spacecraft enters Earth's atmosphere at more than 25,000 mph. William Harwood, CBS News, 5 Dec. 2024 Most of the time, once the cells are ablated, the AFib is gone, Allison said. Nicole Villalpando, Austin American-Statesman, 30 May 2024 If an abnormal pathway is found, it can be ablated (destroyed) using radiofrequency energy or cryotherapy.1819 Implantable Devices Pacemakers are small devices implanted under the skin to help control abnormal heart rhythms. Mary Choy, Verywell Health, 5 Sep. 2024 Ablative treatments: These treatments use extreme heat or cold to ablate (destroy) bone tumors. Anna Giorgi, Verywell Health, 12 July 2024 Falling spacecraft gradually ablate — the technical term for burning up — about 40 miles above the ground, in the mesosphere, which sits above the stratosphere. Ramin Skibba, Rolling Stone, 6 July 2024 As the capsule streaked back into Earth's atmosphere at the end of the mission, the heat shield ablated, or burned off, in a different manner than predicted by computer models. Stephen Clark, Ars Technica, 27 Apr. 2024 The heat shield is designed to ablate, or char, during re-entry heating when returning from the moon at speeds of more than 25,000 mph. William Harwood, CBS News, 9 Jan. 2024

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Latin ablātus (suppletive past participle of auferre "to carry away, remove"), from ab- ab- + lātus, suppletive past participle of ferre "to bear" — more at bear entry 2, tolerate

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of ablate was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near ablate

Cite this Entry

“Ablate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ablate. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

ablate

verb
ab·​late a-ˈblāt How to pronounce ablate (audio)
ablated; ablating
: to remove or become removed by cutting, wearing away, evaporating, or vaporizing

Medical Definition

ablate

transitive verb
ab·​late a-ˈblāt How to pronounce ablate (audio)
ablated; ablating
: to remove or destroy especially by cutting or abrading
ablate diseased tissue
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!