cautery \cau"tery\, 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.
      1913 webster

   2. the iron of other agent in cauterizing.
      1913 webster

   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.
      1913 webster
see also:
cauteries cauter actual cautery potential cautery