To remove or destroy tissue, especially by cutting, burning, or vaporizing. The surgeon decided to ablate the tumor to prevent it from spreading.
To wear away or erode by friction or other mechanical means. The glacier slowly ablates the rock beneath it as it moves.
To reduce the size or amount of something by melting or vaporization, often used in reference to ice or snow. The sun's heat began to ablate the snow on the mountain peak.