/ ˈprəʊkeɪn; NAmE ˈproʊ-/ (also novo·caine / ˈnəʊvəkeɪn; NAmE ˈnoʊ-/) noun
[ U ] ( medical ) a substance used to stop sb from feeling pain in a particular part of their body, especially by a dentist
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WORD ORIGIN
early 20th cent.: from pro- (denoting substitution) + -caine (from cocaine ).