suture

Everyday

1. (medicine) A suture is a stitch, or a row of stitches, that a doctor uses to close a cut or wound. tree →
2. To suture a wound is to sew it closed. tree →
3. (science) A suture is also a fixed, wiggly joint between bones, like the lines where the bones of the skull meet. tree →

In the lessons

In science and health lessons, doctors and nurses use sutures (stitches) for deep cuts; some sutures dissolve on their own, others must be removed after about a week. Babies have soft gaps between skull bones that later join at the sutures. In history, ancient doctors used thread, hair or even ant jaws to close wounds.

Examples

• The doctor put five sutures in my cut. tree →
• The sutures will dissolve in a week. tree →
• The nurse took out the sutures from his knee. tree →
• The vet sutured the dog's leg. tree →
• Your skull has wiggly lines called sutures. tree →
• Some sutures are made of special thread. tree →
• Keep the sutures clean and dry. tree →

Note

Countable: sutures. Everyday word: stitches. Say "SOO-cher". Do not confuse with "suitor" (someone who wants to marry a person) or "future".