Cautery \Cau"ter*y\, n.; pl. Cauteries. [L. cauterium, Gr. ?. See Cauter.]

1. (Med.) A burning or searing, as of morbid flesh, with a hot iron, or by application of a caustic that will burn, corrode, or destroy animal tissue.

2. The iron of other agent in cauterizing.

Actual cautery, a substance or agent (as a hot iron) which cauterizes or sears by actual heat; or the burning so effected.

Potential cautery, a substance which cauterizes by chemical action; as, lunar caustic; also, the cauterizing produced by such substance.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)