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Definition of "trephine" []

  • A surgical instrument having circular, sawlike edges, used to cut out disks of bone, usually from the skull. (noun)
  • To operate on with a trephine. (verb-transitive)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Use "trephine" in a sentence
  • "The surgical team will fix a metal ring over the sclera, providing a base for the trephine, that is placed over the cornea, in order to cut it."
  • "A trephine is a medical saw used to open the skull for surgery or to relieve pressure from brain swelling."
  • "“A trephine is the only conceivable way to save his life,” Reilly went on."