trepan
verbEtymology Borrowed into Middle English from Old French trepan, from Latin trepanum, from Ancient Greek τρύπανον (trúpanon, “auger, borer”). Doublet of trephine.
1
Business, Manufacturing, Mining To create a large hole by making a narrow groove outlining the shape of the hole and then removing the plug of material remaining by less expensive means.
2
Medicine, Sciences To use a trepan; to trephine.
- Derived terms
- trepanned, trepanner, trepanning, trepanize, trepanation