ablation
ablation
(æbˈleɪʃən
) noun
1 the surgical removal of an organ, structure, or part
2 the melting or wearing away of an expendable part, such as the heat shield of a space re-entry vehicle on passing through the earth's atmosphere
3 the wearing away of a rock or glacier
[C15: from Late Latin ablatiōn-, from Latin auferre to carry away, remove]
