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Glite Dictionary
surgeon's knot

surgeon's knot

7.7
A knot with an extra twist used to tie stitches or join two lines
  • noun
  • /ˈsɜrdʒənz nɑt/
  • Specialized
translation icon : nudo de cirujano
  • A surgeon's knot provides extra security compared to a standard square knot.

Examples

  • The doctor used a surgeon's knot to secure the stitches.

  • The doctor tied a surgeon's knot to secure the suture tightly.

  • When fishing, some people prefer using a surgeon's knot for joining lines of different thicknesses.

  • Can you demonstrate a surgeon's knot for us?

  • The nurse demonstrated how to tie a surgeon's knot when preparing for surgery.

  • During the procedure, the doctor used a surgeon's knot to securely attach the stitches.

  • For optimal results, the surgeon instructed the team to use a surgeon's knot for ligatures.

Surface Forms

surgeon's knot singular
surgeon's knots plural

Morphology

surgeon's + knot

The meaning is directly compositional: a B1 learner who knows 'surgeon' and 'knot' will readily infer this is a type of knot used by surgeons (for stitches or ligatures). Although it denotes a specific technical variant (an extra twist), the basic function and association are transparent and cross-linguistically predictable.

Etymology

The surgeon's knot gets its name from how surgeons tie it: they add an extra twist in the first loop so the thread does not slip while they work. That's why the name means a knot made to stay tight and 'secure' when you need it not to come loose.