trephination
noun
treph·i·na·tion
ˌtre-fə-ˈnā-shən 
: an act or instance of perforating the skull with a surgical instrument
Examples of trephination in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The brother who received the trephination died soon after, the study concluded, as the bones showed no signs of healing.
—
Matt Hrodey, Discover Magazine, 23 Feb. 2023
Having a hole surgically bored into your skull is called trephination, and it’s considered the world’s first form of surgery.
—Washington Post, 5 Aug. 2021
Roughly two-thirds of the skulls that have been found bearing trephination marks also show evidence of subsequent bone healing.
—Amy Barth, Discover Magazine, 26 Apr. 2010
The Woman's skull is a fine example of trephination - the practice of deliberately cutting holes in the skull.
—Neuroskeptic, Discover Magazine, 23 Mar. 2012
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Matt Hrodey, Discover Magazine, 23 Feb. 2023
Having a hole surgically bored into your skull is called trephination, and it’s considered the world’s first form of surgery.
—Washington Post, 5 Aug. 2021
Roughly two-thirds of the skulls that have been found bearing trephination marks also show evidence of subsequent bone healing.
—Amy Barth, Discover Magazine, 26 Apr. 2010
The Woman's skull is a fine example of trephination - the practice of deliberately cutting holes in the skull.
—Neuroskeptic, Discover Magazine, 23 Mar. 2012
Dictionary Entries Near trephination
Cite this Entry
“Trephination.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/trephination. Accessed 24 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
trephination
noun
treph·i·na·tion
ˌtref-ə-ˈnā-shən
: an act or instance of using a trephine (as to perforate the skull)
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share