Splint Definition, Usage & Medical Context

Meaning 1：a rigid support for broken bones (splint)

splint 🔊

/splɪnt/

n./vt.

A thin, hard stick or piece used by doctors to hold a broken bone still so it can heal.

Splint medical device: a child's arm in a rigid plastic splint secured with Velcro straps.

a rigid support for broken bones 🔊

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/ə ˈrɪdʒɪd səˈpɔːrt fɔːr ˈbrəʊkən bəʊnz/

n./vt.

A device made of stiff material used in medicine to keep a fractured bone immobilized and in position during the healing process.

📁 Category：Physical & Mental Health 🔖 Level：Intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

From Middle Dutch 'splinte', meaning a thin piece or splinter.

💡 Mnemonic

Think 'split' bone needs 'int'ernal support – a splint holds it together to heal.

📖 Example

After the child fell off his bike, the doctor put his arm in a splint to keep the bone in place. 🔊 Following a bicycle accident, the doctor immobilized the child's broken arm with a splint to ensure proper bone alignment.

🔗 Collocations

apply a splint – to put a splint on a body part to support a fracture

wooden splint – a splint constructed from wood, often used in first aid

remove the splint – to take off a splint after the bone has healed

🔄 Synonyms

brace (n.) – a device that provides support to a body part, often used for injuries or corrections

cast (n.) – a hard protective casing, typically made of plaster, used to immobilize a broken bone

support (n.) – something that holds or bears weight to stabilize or protect an injured area

🌱 Derivatives

splinted (adj.) – describing something that has been fitted with a splint

splinting (n.) – the act or process of applying a splint

📖 Cultural Story

Originating from Middle Dutch 'splinte' for a thin wood piece, 'splint' is now a standard medical device for immobilizing fractures, widely used in emergency care and orthopedics.