1. past tense of trephine; performed a surgical operation to remove a circular piece of bone from the skull
Usage: medical

Examples

• The surgeon trephined the patient’s skull to relieve pressure on the brain.
• Ancient physicians trephined skulls using primitive stone tools.
• The doctor trephined a small hole to access the affected area.
• Archaeological evidence shows that early humans trephined skulls for medical purposes.
• The neurosurgeon carefully trephined the cranium during the emergency procedure.
• Historical records indicate that trepanation was performed when healers trephined patients’ heads.