splint

[splint]

noun

1. 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.

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

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

4. Armor.

   1. any of a number of narrow plates or lames joined with rivets or a backing to form a piece of armor.

   2. a partial vambrace protecting only the outer part of the arm.

5. British Dialect.,  a splinter of wood or stone.

verb (used with object)

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

2. to support as if with splints.

splint

/ splɪnt /

noun

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

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

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

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

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

6. another word for splinter

verb

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

Other Word Forms

• splintlike adjective
• unsplinted adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of splint¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of splint¹

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

Example Sentences

A large orbital prosthesis and neck scar splints have been made with the aid of the centre's technology.

From BBC

When she woke, she splinted one of her legs and popped her other knee back into place.

From Los Angeles Times

His bandaged legs - one of them splinted - are badly scarred and withered.

From BBC

Dad immediately diagnosed it as a small fracture, put him in a splint and didn’t charge a co-pay for his services.

From Los Angeles Times

In an interview for Saga magazine, he revealed he was still recovering from the experience, with his neck in a brace and right hand in a splint.

From BBC

Related Words

• brace