Synonyms/Hypernyms (Ordered by Estimated Frequency) of noun ablation

2 senses of ablation

Sense 1
ablation, extirpation, cutting out, excision -- (surgical removal of a body part or tissue)
       => operation, surgery, surgical operation, surgical procedure, surgical process -- (a medical procedure involving an incision with instruments; performed to repair damage or arrest disease in a living body; "they will schedule the operation as soon as an operating room is available"; "he died while undergoing surgery")

Sense 2
ablation -- (the erosive process that reduces the size of glaciers)
       => erosion, eroding, eating away, wearing, wearing away -- ((geology) the mechanical process of wearing or grinding something down (as by particles washing over it))