splint

[ splint ]

/ splɪnt /

noun

a thin piece of wood or other rigid material used to immobilize a fractured or dislocated bone, or to maintain any part of the body in a fixed position.

one of a number of thin strips of wood woven together to make a chair seat, basket, etc.

Veterinary Medicine. an exostosis or bony enlargement of a splint bone of a horse or a related animal.

Armor.

any of a number of narrow plates or lames joined with rivets or a backing to form a piece of armor.
a partial vambrace protecting only the outer part of the arm.

British Dialect. a splinter of wood or stone.

verb (used with object)

to secure, hold in position, or support by means of a splint or splints, as a fractured bone.

to support as if with splints.

Words nearby splint

splice, splicer, splicing, spliff, spline, splint, splint bone, splinter, splinter group, splintery, split

Origin of splint

1275–1325; Middle English < Middle Dutch or Middle Low German splinte; cf. splinter

OTHER WORDS FROM splint

splint·like, adjectiveun·splint·ed, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for splinting

Immobilization—Systemic immobilization is effected by body rest and locally by splinting the bitten area.
Natural History of Cottonmouth Moccasin, Agkistrodon piscovorus (Reptilia)|Ray D. Burkett
Displacement and crepitus are prevented by the splinting action of the ligaments.
Manual of Surgery Volume Second: Extremities--Head--Neck. Sixth Edition.|Alexander Miles
After splinting, keep the injured arm or leg a little higher than the rest of the patient's body.
In Time Of Emergency|Department of Defense

British Dictionary definitions for splinting

splint

/ (splɪnt) /

noun

a rigid support for restricting movement of an injured part, esp a broken bone

a thin sliver of wood, esp one that is used to light cigars, a fire, etc

a thin strip of wood woven with others to form a chair seat, basket, etc

vet science inflammation of the small metatarsal or metacarpal bones along the side of the cannon bone of a horse

one of the overlapping metal plates used in armour after about 1330

another word for splinter

verb

to apply a splint to (a broken arm, etc)

Derived forms of splint

splintlike, adjective

Word Origin for splint

C13: from Middle Low German splinte; related to Middle Dutch splinte splint, Old High German spaltan to split

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Medicine definitions for splinting

splint

[ splĭnt ]

n.

A rigid device used to prevent motion of a joint or of the ends of a fractured bone.

A dental appliance put on the teeth to protect them from grinding or from moving out of place.

v.

To support or restrict with a splint.