ablation

ab•la•tion n.

Surgerythe removal, esp. of organs, abnormal growths, or harmful substances, from the body by mechanical means, as by surgery.
Geology, Meteorologythe reduction in volume of glacial ice, snow, or névé by the combined processes of melting, evaporation, and calving. Cf.alimentation (def. 3).
Aerospaceerosion of the protective outer surface (ablator) of a spacecraft or missile due to the aerodynamic heating caused by travel at hypersonic speed during reentry through the atmosphere.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

ablation/æbˈleɪʃən/n

the surgical removal of an organ, structure, or part
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
the wearing away of a rock or glacier

Etymology: 15th Century: from Late Latinablatiōn-, from Latinauferre to carry away, remove

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