suture

American  

[soo-cher] / ˈsu tʃər /

noun

1. Surgery.

   1. a joining of the lips or edges of a wound or the like by stitching or some similar process.

   2. a particular method of doing this.

   3. one of the stitches or fastenings employed.

2. Anatomy.

   1. the line of junction of two bones, especially of the skull, in an immovable articulation.

   2. the articulation itself.

3. Zoology, Botany. the junction or line of junction of contiguous parts, as the line of closure between the valves of a bivalve shell, a seam where carpels of a pericarp join, etc.

4. a seam as formed in sewing; a line of junction between two parts.

5. a sewing together or a joining as by sewing.

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verb (used with object)

sutured, suturing

1. to unite by or as by a suture.

suture British  

/ ˈsuːtʃə /

noun

1. surgery

   1. catgut, silk thread, or wire used to stitch together two bodily surfaces

   2. Also called: seam.  the surgical seam formed after joining two surfaces

2. anatomy a type of immovable joint, esp between the bones of the skull ( cranial suture )

3. a seam or joining, as in sewing

4. zoology a line of junction in a mollusc shell, esp the line between adjacent chambers of a nautiloid shell

5. botany a line marking the point of dehiscence in a seed pod or capsule

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verb

1. (tr) surgery to join (the edges of a wound, etc) by means of sutures

Other Word Forms

• presutural adjective
• sutural adjective
• suturally adverb
• unsutured adjective

Etymology

Origin of suture

1535–45; < Latin sūtūra seam, suture, equivalent to sūt ( us ) (past participle of suere to sew ¹ ) + -ūra -ure

Example Sentences

This cut sutures the two halves together while sustaining its unusual momentum.

From Los Angeles Times

Back in 2011, the writer-director was already tinkering with a version of the monster that resembled a blend of Iggy Pop and Boris Karloff with jagged sutures, gaunt wrinkles and a crushed nose.

From Los Angeles Times

“We agreed — no scars. No sutures. No vulgarity.”

From Los Angeles Times

He had 28-day-old sutures he contemplated removing himself because they itched so badly.

From Salon

"There'll be rapid tests, suture kits, syringes, oxygen supplies, vaccines and a small fridge for storing medicines," it explained in a statement.

From BBC

Related Words

• stitch