trephine

[ trih-fahyn, -feen ]
/ trɪˈfaɪn, -ˈfin /
Surgery

noun

a small circular saw with a center pin mounted on a strong hollow metal shaft to which is attached a transverse handle: used in surgery to remove circular disks of bone from the skull.

verb (used with object), tre·phined, tre·phin·ing.

to operate upon with a trephine.

Origin of trephine

1620–30; spelling variant of trefine, orig. trafine, blend of trapan (variant of trepan1) and Latin phrase trēs fīnēs three ends (the inventor's explanation)

OTHER WORDS FROM trephine

treph·i·na·tion [tref-uh-ney-shuh n] /ˌtrɛf əˈneɪ ʃən/, noun

British Dictionary definitions for trephination

trephine
/ (trɪˈfiːn) /

noun

a surgical sawlike instrument for removing circular sections of bone, esp from the skull

verb

(tr) to remove a circular section of bone from (esp the skull)
Also called: trepan

Derived forms of trephine

trephination (ˌtrɛfɪˈneɪʃən), noun

Word Origin for trephine

C17: from French tréphine, from obsolete English trefine trepan 1, allegedly from Latin trēs fīnēs literally: three ends; influenced also by English trepane trepan 1

Medical definitions for trephination (1 of 2)

trephination
[ trĕf′ə-nāshən ]

n.

Removal of a circular piece of bone, especially of the skull, by a trephine. trepanation

Medical definitions for trephination (2 of 2)

trephine
[ trĭ-fīn ]

n.

A cylindrical or crown saw for the removal of a disk of bone, especially from the skull, or removal of other firm tissue such as that of the cornea.

v.

To operate on with a trephine.