suture

[soo-cher]

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.

verb (used with object)

sutured, suturing 

1. to unite by or as by a suture.

suture

/ 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

verb

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

Other Word Forms

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of suture¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of suture¹

C16: from Latin sūtūra, from suere to _sew

Example Sentences

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

John bragged about my sutures to everybody in boot camp and then asked me to demonstrate.

From Los Angeles Times

Black with an oval-shaped body, they have some similarities to modern-day whiteflies -- such as the shape and colour -- but differ in that all the segments of the body are distinctly defined by deep sutures.

From Science Daily

While suturing another patient after childbirth, the lawsuit states, Brock told her, “I’m going to make you a virgin again, by stitching you tighter. Believe me, your husband will thank me.”

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• stitch